Q: Are schools safe? TV station: Let's get one locked down and find out

That's a column talking about a story ran in it's paper. Most people here don't need the dots connected.

 

The story...

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/ksdk-reporter-working-on-school-safety-story-prompted-kirkwood-high/article_aa2ef2de-9905-5b26-a500-1105ae4b0df5.html

Kirkwood School District spokeswoman Ginger Cayce said the incident highlighted problems in the district security Thursday. But she expressed frustration over the station’s handling of the situation.

“We learned some things from this, but we are still dismayed that a call was not given after to let us know this was a test,” Cayce said. “We could have prevented the alarm to our parents, students and staff.”

The KSDK reporter initially gave his name and cellphone number and when the Kirkwood High secretary left to get the school resource officer, the man left the office, Cayce said. Administrators became alarmed when he asked the location of a restroom, left the office, but went a different direction.

When they called his cellphone, he did not answer, but his voicemail said he was a KSDK reporter. Cayce said she tried three times to confirm with the news station that the man was actually with KSDK with no success.

“I told them ‘I’m going to have to go into lockdown if you can’t confirm that this was a test,’” she said. “When we couldn't confirm or deny it, we had no choice.”

The breakdown occurred when the secretary left the front office. She should have stayed, told the visitor to stay put and got the resource officer on the radio. If the resource officer was not available, she should have told the guy to wait.

Still does let the guy off the hook for doing what he did.

 

The original article says the same thing:

http://m.stltoday.com/news/local/education/ksdk-reporter-working-on-school-safety-story-prompted-kirkwood-high/article_aa2ef2de-9905-5b26-a500-1105ae4b0df5.html?mobile_touch=true

Can I read somewhere who this story is attributed to?

 

derp

 

derp derp

 

Yes. The spokesperson, who likely did not witness the event, says "administrators" became alarmed.

That doesn't tell me who was alarmed. Was it multiple people?

You wouldn't like to here it from the "alarmed" administrator(s)?

 

The station misleads, if students at the school who left comments are to be believed. The door the reporter entered through was not a main entrance. The reporter entered through a secondary entrance, according to a student who commented on one of the stories linked earlier in this thread.

Missouri trespass laws: http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/c500-599/5690000140.htm

According to this, I would assume that if there is a sign that says "visitors must enter through the XXXX entrance" and the reporter entered through another, he could be deemed to be trespassing. The photographer didn't shoot any signs, but the report doesn't mention if one is around or not. If there is, he could be considered guilty of trespass for entering through a different door.

But, like I said earlier in the thread, trespass wouldn't be what I'd charge them with. Missouri has a law that would go straight at this that I posted to earlier on the thread.

 

I think it's pretty safe to assume that a modicum of "alarm" preceded locking the entire school down.

 

There was no "alarm". They locked down the school because of procedures, and because the procedures didn't allow for common sense.

They knew who the guy was. His voice mail identified him.

As for the article, Devil is using it as evidence that the guy should be arrested, and charged. I think you need more info than "alarm" of unnamed administrators, as voiced be a spokesperson, attempting to explain why a school was placed in lock down.

 

So the school would've been locked down anyway, regardless of the "alarm" felt, or not felt?

Then it's irrelevant. Who cares? The reporter could've easily not put it in there. Or, he could trust that the spokesperson was telling the truth. I know that's not your thing, but it does happen sometimes.

Also, the spokesperson makes it pretty clear that, while the situation could've been handled better by both parties, they won't take any more action and no one will get arrested.

 

A spokesperson says something happened a certain way. News article reports what spokesperson says.

Further writings on the subject refer back to earlier "news reports" in describing what happened.

Spokesperson's version of events becomes accepted statement of fact, though no underlying evidence for what was described has ever been presented.

This is stenography, not reporting.

At the very least, a column on the incident should tell us the "facts" are according to a spokesperson.