Unfair Reporting

To the Editor:

Last week’s front-page article “School Salary Hikes, Bonuses Sparks Outcry” was not in the best tradition of fair and honest journalism.

Within the first three paragraphs school board member Kathleen Chrystie had been twice identified as having tendered motions responsible for the increases. Following was a series of criticisms by town officials, some of whose own recent performances in their particular public offices would have shamed any self-reflective, honest, ethical person not just into silence but into self-imposed exile as a chameleon farmer on the far reaches of the North Island of New Zealand.

I do not take a side in this issue. I don’t have the information required to make an informed decision. My primary objection is that the reporter has left the reader with the impression that a certain member of the school board, mainly Ms Chrystie, was behind this event and that a very minimal effort was made to reach her and others for their position. I quote the following from the article (italics mine):

“While school board member Richard Gains referred The Bee to his chair Elaine McClure for comment, neither Ms McClure, board member David Nanavaty, nor Ms Chrystie responded to calls for comment as the newspaper went to press Thursday morning.”

It seems a bit late to attempt a contact as the paper is going to press. I wonder when those who were critical were contacted. I am quite sure it was well before Thursday morning.

The town of Newtown deserves better reporting; The Bee can and should do better.

P.S. I should apologize about my remark concerning the North Island of New Zealand. I have spent quite a bit of time there, it is a lovely place and deserves far better. After a great deal of consideration, going over in my mind all the places I have been, I believe that a self-imposed exile in the no-man’s land between Turkey and Syria, in the summer, as hot cocoa salespeople, would be best.

Sincerely,

Robert Karnoff

66 Great Ring Road, Sandy Hook                                                                                                                                                   July 1, 2009

(Editor’s note: Comments from the school board members cited in the referenced story were solicited on Wednesday, June 24, the day before The Bee went to press. The story would have been clearer if the quoted sentence had read that the three board members “… had not responded by the time the newspaper went to press…”)