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Possibly dealing with a pissed off principal

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by forever_town, Oct 5, 2007.

  1. forever_town

    forever_town Well-Known Member

    One of my intern reporters wrote a story about gang violence in our county and interviewed two students from a local high school. The parents of each kid gave their kid permission to talk to my intern for the story and we end up running a story on the front of our free section and feature it on our Web site.

    Anyway, I got a call today from the intern that the principal apparently called the two students into his office and was upset that they talked to the reporter intern. He threatened to write a letter to the big J-school where that student intern is attending.

    Before this guy calls and decides to go apeshit on me, how do I (diplomatically) tell him to get his head out of the fucking sand and deal with the REAL problem that he doesn't seem to be facing?

    I have a feeling I'll be pulling out the "I stand behind the accuracy of this story and I do not apologize for publishing it" card, but is there something I can keep in mind before I have to deal with him?
     
  2. Flash

    Flash Guest

    That the parents gave the kids permission ... ipso facto, none of his business.
     
  3. Have a snappy comeback if he says, "I'M A MAN! I'M 40! COME AFTER ME!"
     
  4. txsportsscribe

    txsportsscribe Active Member

    mr. principal is overstepping his boundaries
     
  5. zeke12

    zeke12 Guest

    Upper deck him.
     
  6. Jim Tom Pinch

    Jim Tom Pinch Active Member

    That's never a bad response.
     
  7. sportschick

    sportschick Active Member

    Comet bomb, boys, Comet bomb.

    Principal can bitch all he wants, but if the kids' parents said they could talk there's not much he can do.

    Hell even in the parents didn't give permission there's not a damned thing he can do unless your reporter talked to them on school grounds.
     
  8. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    Well, Mr. Principal. Please call the journalism school. I'm sure the powers that be would enjoy the fact that one of their students wrote a great story and pissed off an officious little puke like yourself.
    Now, is there anything else?
     
  9. forever_town

    forever_town Well-Known Member

    I would make my comeback in writing ... by penning a column in which I describe his response as putting his head in the sand instead of dealing with the REAL problem.
     
  10. Walter Burns

    Walter Burns Member

    Call the principal on it. Tell him to write his letter, and you'll write one, too. Mention that journalism's a profession where going to jail to protect a source is a badge of honor, so he probably isn't going to get the reaction he hopes for or expects.
    Oh, and be sure the principal -- an educator by trade -- knows what kind of lesson he's teaching this intern.
    Make sure the intern knows you'll go to the mat for him. That kind of loyalty can't be bought. And make sure the intern learns the lesson in all this. Sometimes, that kind of criticism can be the best praise.
     
  11. Cosmo

    Cosmo Well-Known Member

    Well played. Failing that, stick your dick in his ear.
     
  12. jakewriter82

    jakewriter82 Active Member

    Put him on blast. That seems to work for everything these days.
     
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