A story in a newspaper
By maximax8
@maximax8 (31046)
United Kingdom
March 12, 2010 1:36pm CST
I am furious to see that without permission that my local newspaper have published a story about what happened to my 14 year old son last Friday. My son had gone on a school trip to the Houses of Parliament and he had been left behind. A police man phoned me and told me what had happened. The head teacher left my home town at 19.00 and drove all the way to London. He brought my son home at 02.15 in the middle of the night.
I got phoned by the head teacher's secretary on Tuesday and she warned that the local paper wanted to talk to the parent of the child that had been left behind on the school trip. I asked her not to give the newspaper my name or telephone number. I said that I didn't want to give a story to the newspaper.
On page 5 they say 'A year 10 pupil' and mention the head teacher's name plus the school's name. I feel very upset because the head teacher told them he didn't want a story to be published. In addition I didn't give my permission. If they had named my son I would have taken them to court.
What do you think?
If someone bad happened to one of your family would you want the story in your local paper?
4 people like this
19 responses
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
12 Mar 10
I can understand why the school didn't want the story published - they had egg on their face! But why were you upset with the local paper. Why did you feel embarrassed that your kids school would be so careless? We should value our freedom ( not every country has it) and the right of free press. The School was clearly at fault, and there should be consequences. But why were you upset with the paper that wanted to bring the facts to light? So what if they printed your kids name? What wrong did the child do? Why would you have sued the paper was trying to right a wrong by bringing the true facts into the light? Why did the paper need permission to print a story about the carelessness of your child's school?
1 person likes this
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
28 Nov 10
I believe that the paper has a responsibility to report such news as to allow other parents to know that things like this have happened. They did not print your sons' name and so it is not like everyone knows who it was. I would not worry about it. Your son is home safe and the paper protected your privacy.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
17 Mar 10
No, but if it's like in the states, as long as they leave your child's name out, they can do that. I wonder who tipped them off? I doubt the school did. So must be somebody else.
@reckon21 (3479)
• Philippines
27 Apr 10
It depend upon the situation if something happened with my family and I think that incident can help others in some way I might let it be published to raise awareness to others.But in your case since you don't want it to be published then i respect your decision.
Anyways many things happened for a reason. And if the reason can help others and they will get a lesson out of it then I might let the public know. It's just my opinion. The good thing is that the newspaper did not mentioned your son's name.
Let's just hope it wont happen again that published thing.
@bodhisatya (2384)
• India
14 Mar 10
Well, it depends Maximax. Surely a mis-happening is something that a person would not like to generalize but then there are couple of things which can help others if published.
I would like to site an example here, there was this lady in our building, she went out to the market for her groceries. She was approached by a man and was told to remove all her jeweleries as there is some sort of commotion and riot like situation ahead. That man fled with all the jewelry once the woman had removed them. The guy was a con!
Now this was published in the paper and many would be victims could learn something from it.
So, I feel it would depend on the situation.
I am sorry to hear about the trouble you had to go through.
Bodhi
@Jules01 (131)
•
5 May 10
Hi Maximax8,
How on earth could they forget a child, leaving them in a place like london. I would have been furious. A few times, when my son was small, the out of school club forgot to pick him up from school. that was annoying. But to have a child left in London. That's really bad. I hope you are going to get some compensation for your son for all the distress caused.
I can understand that you're annoyed about the newspaper. Judging by some of the things they publish I don't think they care about whether or not we want stories published. They do it anyway. I think that the best thing to do is to move on. Don't spend any longer feeling annoyed about it. Find something interesting to take your mind off it. You can't change things now so move on.
All the best to you and your son.
@Darkwing (21583)
•
14 Mar 10
I'm sure you and the headmaster of your son's school, have grounds to sue the newspaper who released this story without your permission. I would DEFINITELY be talking to my solicitor on Monday morning.
The head teacher did all he could to make sure your son was brought home safe and well, and everything was settled amicably. The newspapers have no right to release the story without permission. I would be hopping MAD to be frank. Seek legal advice, my friend... they'll tell you whether you can take out a law suit against the paper. I'm sure you can.
Brightest Blessings and good luck with this.
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
12 Mar 10
I am sorry that your 14 year old was left behind! I would not like my son or anyone in my family would be in the limelight for the wrong reasons (thought it was not his fault). If he had won the prize or it was anything positive yes I would give an interview to the newspaper. I would be proud to see the photo of my son published front page in the newspaper.
If I was in your shoes I would not have enjoyed that the local newspaper publishes this story. Though lets face it, the journalists were doing their job. I would not blame them but the media frenzy who is always hungry for a scoop for the latest news.
I have worked in the media for a short period and I do wander what news value this story might have to the general public.
@mipen2006 (5528)
• Australia
13 Mar 10
Hi max, that is an infringment of your privacy, I would think. How did the newspaper get the story in the first place? Was it from the school? Didn't they have a head count before returning home? Who was responsible? I can't understand why a school would wand a story like this to get out. I'm sure this happens a lot here, but the only ones to hit the news are when the police are called, except when the laeder of the oppositions gets lost for a few hours. I think you should ask the school some direct questions. Good luck, max. Mike.
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
12 Mar 10
No, I wouldn't want it, but I'm not sure that I would have any recourse if they published it and the facts were correct.
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
12 Mar 10
As long as they do not mention the name of your son I would not worry about it. If they could not get their facts straight, they will look foolish if the truth comes out. Ask your son how he feels about it before you take any action. If he is comfortable with it maybe let him write the paper a letter.
It is the fault of his school that he was left behind. You are supposed to do a head count to make sure you have all of your students and your chaperones should help. If it were me I would be more upset with the school than with the paper.
@cyrus123 (6363)
• United States
13 Mar 10
I don't blame you for being so upset, Maxine. I guess I would be, too, if I didn't want it published in the newspaper. Sometimes these things get in the paper, any way. I don't know why. I'm just so glad that your son was found safe and unharmed. I imagine he was pretty upset about being left behind. If chaperones went along on this trip, they need to be more responsible than this. Kathy.
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
13 Mar 10
I would have probably given them permission. The reason I would have is so other parents can learn what could happen if their child was to go on a school trip. I would want other parents to be aware of the horrors that can happen. I would not be happy if they did it without my permission. If this had happened to me and the paper wanted to print a story I would have given them an interview so the story was an accurate truthful story as to what happened on my child's school trip.
@macdingolinger (10386)
• United States
12 Mar 10
Well, they did not publish his name and really all they did was publish bad information regarding his school. THey pointed out their incompetence. As long as your name or information wasn't published really there's no harm. Just let it go!
@recycledgoth (9894)
•
12 Mar 10
I wonder who tipped the local paper off to the story? Regardless of the rights and wrongs here, someone must have told them something. I'm just glad that your lad is ok hun
@frankiecesca (2489)
•
12 Mar 10
Thankfully for you they didn't mention your son's name - I think I would have been annoyed at what happened to your son but, I don't honestly think I would have minded if they had of printed the story if it happened to me as I think I would just think it actually highlights how bad they come across instead and I would feel they would deserve that!
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
12 Mar 10
The most important thing is that your son is ok.
Now, how could they forget you son? That is very irresponsible. They should have better supervised the students and made sure no one was missing before leaving. I think that's what I would be upset about.
I think newspapers have a right to report events so I don't know what one could do about that. At least they didn't mention his name or your family.
To answer your question: I would probably not want the event to be publicized unless I had reason to do so.
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
12 Mar 10
I would have been furious too, if they proceeded to identify your/my son. My sons are a bit younger, so I couldn't bring myself to think of scenarios that their identities would have to be splattered on the dailies.
The important thing is that your son is fine. This thing with the newspaper will blow over. And soon this incident will be way back in the rearview mirror.
@Beautyfactor (1512)
•
12 Mar 10
Hi, yes I responed to your post about this when it happened. i'm just glad your boy got back to you okay. When it comes to the press they seem to have their own rules and there was nothing that the head teacher could have done to prevent the story from going to print, but somebody must have tipped the newspaper off or they wouldn't have know about it.
I suppose you can take some comfort in the fact that they didn't give any names in the story. If I were you I would be annoyed, but in a way it ia letting other people know about how badly at fault the school was.
