Merced Sun-Star
Editor: I have recently seen several newspaper articles regarding some of my former eighth-grade advanced algebra students. Two of the three, Robert and Daniella, were not only former students of mine but later became an aide and tutor in my classroom. Both great kids!
One article was about the father of my student having been killed in a courtroom. If that wasn’t tragic enough, the Sun-Star asked the immediate family for comments. It bothers me that the media would interview children. They didn’t commit a crime and were not accessories to any crime. Not only do they have to deal with the tragedy, but now must live with the feeling that they are part of this media circus.
I hope and pray Robert will survive this tough time in his life. He is a super person and my heart goes out to him at this sad time.
I understand the newspaper’s pursuit of reporting but I wish they had focused on reporting the facts and left family interviews out of the news. As far as the immediate family is concerned, I would have preferred to read about what was being done to help them get through this very tragic time. I hope the community is pulling together and helping those involved to start to heal.
On the positive side, I was very pleased to read about two other advanced algebra students, Amber and Daniella Vineyard — “The Sister Act.” Like Robert, Daniella was a student of mine and later my classroom aide. Besides being good students academically, the Vineyards possess many talents. They are stellar softball players, having played for an Atwater High School team as well as a summer traveling team for years. This fall they will be leaving to play softball for Division II Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia. They deserve this success because they have worked hard for this achievement.
Our students and children deserve the best the community can provide. They deserve the best from their parents, the school system and particularly from the media. I realize newspapers need to sell papers to stay in business but children should be protected at all costs. I am appalled that our local paper would cross this ethical barrier.
I hope the newspaper realizes that the pendulum swings both ways. If the public disagrees with overzealous reporting and stops buying papers then the presses stop. You do the math. It makes good ‘cents’ to pay attention to public opinion.
Our children count. They are one but together they are many. They learn from what they see, hear and read. Our community needs to give them the best possible start down life’s road and that includes the best newspaper.
JOHN SULLIVAN
Atwater
