James Tate, the senior from Shelton, Connecticut, is going to his prom after all.
That's the lede -- as we often spell it in the newsroom.
But this is more than just a happy ending for a Connecicut teenager.
One of the reasons many of us love working as local news reporters is the ability to take one person's story and tell it to the world. The world can then make up its own mind about good or bad, fair or unfair, right or wrong.
But even if it's a story that speaks for itself -- it needs a platform. That's us -- News at 6, or 10 or 11. Radio. Blogs, websites, Facebook, apps. Even the Grey Lady. That's The New York Times for those of you who think Facebook and Twitter are the media of record.
So all of us with our platforms -- we huffed and we puffed and we blew the house down.
And why is James Tate going to his senior prom? Without saying she was right or wrong, Shelton's headmaster said the "international" pressure was too distracting. Getting in the way of what a high school is supposed to do. As in teach.
But the story of one romantic kid - which captivated the media and everyone else - is all about teaching.
Teaching us again - us reporters - why we're here in the first place. (The idealistic part about telling someone's story).
Teaching school officials (who should have known) about the power of social media -- and how the mainstream media are now interwoven with Facebook and Twitter.
And perhaps teaching James Tate and his fellow teenagers that there are consequences to every action -- even if all you wanted to do was ask a girl to the prom.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
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1 comment:
It seems to me that the Shelton school system ought to focus more on why it refers to its woman head-of-school as a "headmaster" and less on the downside of the romance of an ingenious student. I keep hearing college presidents complain about high schools sending them students who need remedial studies before they can even start higher education, and how their jobs would be much easier if K-12 would send them competent students. Here comes a student who is clearly competent and how is he treated? First, they take disciplinary action, then they decide how stupid the disciplinary action is. Now they should stick the letters "DUMB ADMINISTRATORS" on that wall.
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