Fake News Reporting Encourages Fighting Teachers

Generally addressed to the matter of linking and -

To the linker of "Detention for Being Right"
http://www.italknews.com/view_link.php?sid=8580

Original link for the story

Please take a look into the news link titled, "Detention for Being Right."

It direly lacks data! This is not news!

Who is Adam Hilliker? Who is Alex, and where was he studying? If Alex was detained, where? Who was Alex’s father? Can you explain why the note was dated 1994 and you posted it only now? Are you posting it as history? But how?

If this is news, you should have all the details a reader needs to know. Details may be able to answer questions and explain the nuances of a situation. As it is, your title needs explanation because it talks of a right that was abridged.

The reader is entitled to know what he or she is reading. News writing follows principles. It is not child’s play. Most important of all, with just that piece of note, can you identify your source? Any reader would be asking these questions because what was linked does not pass for news or anything. What was attached was merely a file - with no identification even.

In case of complaints, you would be left holding the bag. You have no one to attribute even what you claim in your title.

That said, one couldn’t just pick up anything and post it as news. I would not dignify that note even by acknowledging the difference between kilometer and mile. There was no real incident to base this on. One highlighted sentence does not make for news - no matter how grave the teacher's error is. At best, this piece of note should be found in a principal's office for resolution. Not in media.

You have a title that courts compassion. However, you took up a reporter’s privilege improperly. As it is, you can be mistaken as fooling the readers with your lack of data. Even if you were just linking, the responsibility falls on you to see to it that what you are linking passes for news – or editorial for that matter.

You see, one danger of merely linking this note is tantamount to encouraging learners to rebel against their teachers. Put yourself in the shoes of teachers and imagine how students – after reading what you posted - would treat you. That could be the situation in haphazardly treating information meant for news.

If this is ignorance, it would be understandable. If not, and if all reporters were like you, we'd better not read anything at all.

I take responsibility for everything I wrote here.
Jane Abao