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Teacher throws away prep football player's Powerade? Do I have a story?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by sportshack06, Aug 25, 2007.

  1. Jack_Kerouac

    Jack_Kerouac Member

    The teacher has no right to do this and is clearly a dick, but that doesn't make this a story. If the kid dies from heat exhaustion and dehydration as a result of the teacher throwing away his Gatorade, then yes, you have quite the story. Otherwise, not so much.
     
  2. MU_was_not_so_hard

    MU_was_not_so_hard Active Member

    Boo-f-ing hoo.
    Tell him to drink it between class and then deny the teacher when he/she asks for them out of the bag.
     
  3. TheSportsPredictor

    TheSportsPredictor Well-Known Member

    Well, the dumbass shoulda got Gatorade then!!
     
  4. Some Guy

    Some Guy Active Member

    That's the part that makes this teacher a douchewad. But I still don't necessarily think this is much of a story. Maybe after one of these kids suffers a heat stroke, I don't know.
     
  5. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    I think the heat changes things too... And also based on your story, it doesn't sound like he was drinking them in class either...

    I'd write the story... I wouldn't have a problem with the teacher saying no drinking in class, but to make him take something out of his bag and then throw it out is fucking absurd...

    If you write it, make sure you talk to several students who saw the exchange...
     
  6. Piotr Rasputin

    Piotr Rasputin New Member

    I'd write a longer notebook item on it, leading off the notebook with it. Talk to students who witnessed it, talk to the trainer, couch it in a discussion of players' efforts to stay hydrated. That gets it out there, and tells an interesting story. A standalone story would be too much; no need to write a story every time a high school teacher gets too big for his britches.

    Then sit back and enjoy the fallout as the other stories about the teacher come out in the grapevine, and the local PTA seeks its pound of flesh.
     
  7. Beach_Bum

    Beach_Bum Member

    Teachers can search in class, and sounds like the kid offered it up anyway by admitting to having it.

    If THAT kid drops dead from heat on THAT day, you got a hell of a story. Otherwise, you got teenage drama.

    General rule I have learned the hard way: Stay as far away as you can from teenage soap operas. Not worth it.

    That said, I'd think it worth asking around about ... if it's an issue the administration is going to bring up with the teacher or perhaps address a policy change over, that changes things ... If all you have is what is described above, though, I wouldn't write about it at all.
     
  8. zeke12

    zeke12 Guest

    Let us know how this turns out, hack.

    I still don't think I'd write a story, but others have had some good thoughts, too.
     
  9. I'll never tell someone not to pursue something, but to be honest: I had a hard enough time staying interested through the initial post. I can't imagine this being a story I'd want to read.
     
  10. markvid

    markvid Guest

    You can't sharpen your pencil in his class?
    Control freak asshole.
     
  11. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    If the kid drops dead during practice, it's the coach's fault anyway, not a teacher's. Talk to kids in Arizona to see if they load up on sports drinks, which I think they don't. Maybe the coach is on the payroll of Powerade. Much bigger story to get kids to shell out $3-4/day for drinks.
     
  12. Babs

    Babs Member

    I'd at least investigate it, and decide once you gather the info whether you have a story. Definitely talk to a trainer about the additional intake needed to stay hydrated in this heat.
     
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