Covering the news sometimes makes for difficult choices. Because every news story shines a bright light on people or events, news can often make things very public that others would prefer be forgotten.
Balancing a reader’s need to know against a subject’s right to privacy is often not easy. We struggled with that issue this evening as we decided whether or not to run the story about Tom Philbrick, the Rangeley man recommended to be the next Mt. Blue High School girl’s basketball coach.
Philosophically, we couldn’t agree more with the views expressed by Michael Cormier, Mt. Blue RSU’s superintendent. Mr. Philbrick seems eminently qualified to coach the Mt. Blue girls, and the honest and straightforward way in which he has addressed a mistake he made more than 20 years ago, if anything, makes him a better role model for our children, not a worse one.
If everybody thought like we did, there would be no reason at all to even address an event in Mr. Philbrick’s distant past. But everybody doesn’t think like we do. So even though we may feel that a 20-year-old criminal conviction normally wouldn’t be relevant enough to publicize, that decision really isn’t up to us.
Since at least one local person has raised this issue with members of the school board, we think our readers have a right to be aware of the issue so they can make up their own minds. Like any other decision made by our towns or our legislators or our school boards, the more we all know, the better chance we have to applaud the decisions that are correct ones and perhaps reverse the ones that were ill-advised.
I have no objection to your publishing the information here, though I am a bit puzzled as to why you think it’s news, since you make no explanation of who Clayton King, Jr., is (beyond “a Farmington resident”). The name is vaguely familiar, but I forget where I’ve seen it. Did his objection become news because he is more important than someone else? There are probably few decisions made anywhere that somebody doesn’t disagree with. Usually, when someone disagrees with the decision of a public agency, their recourse is to write a letter to the editor of a newspaper . Their personal opinions don’t automatically become material for a news story.
I do object to your saying “the decision isn’t really up to us.” Of course it is up to you. You based your decision on what you think, and that’s okay. I expect people in positions of power to think. I don’t expect them to pretend that they aren’t making decisions. The Farmington officials are always saying “we had no choice” every time they do something shabby. One of these days I’m going to publish a letter saying that any selectman who claims he or she “had no choice” about an action–any action–loses my vote.
Three and a half years ago Bobbie Hanstein made a decision to suppress my expression of concern about an incident in which my freedom of speech was threatened by Farmington police. I wasn’t even asking her to make it a news story; I was just trying to get a letter printed in the Franklin Journal. Although I asked her many times, she never gave me an explanation of her decision, and to this day it remains a mystery.
Keep up the good reporting Woody! You and I have butted heads years ago, but you were/are always fair
Whether or not the “controversy” should have been reported is something I won’t respond to. It has happened. The point is moot. The deeper point I want to address is “when is it over?” A person has committed a crime and paid the penalty. The legitimacy of our justice system lies on the premise that if you admit guilt, redress your guilt and compensate society, then society (supposedly) will allow you to move on and become a better person. It’s why you pay fines, it’s why you do community service, it’s why you go to prison. You’re told that it will give you a clean slate upon which you can describe a new life. Mr Philbrick has obviously done exactly that, in an examplar way. He wishes to be a positive contribution to youth. He has demonstrated that capacity. He has consistently admitted his mistake and used it as a lesson to those youth he has mentored. What does this show to a youth who is kicked off the team for drug abuse? Well, what it should show is that if you admit your error, pay the proscribed penalty and demonstrate that you have learned from your mistake, then eventually you will be allowed to participate in society. But in the meantime, you’re off the team. What it should not show, in my opinion, is that your past is really who you are, and you’re off the team, forever. Mr Philbrick’s experience certainly does not demonstrate that the past is easily forgotten. And that is the sad element of living in a microscopically judgmental society. When I deal with youth who have messed up, I need to be positive and tell them that if they work hard and change, their mistake will be expunged. Am I lying to them? I hope the School Committee will follow Supt. Cormier’s lead and support what Mr Philbrick for what he has done, not what he had done. There’s a difference.
Certainly a tough editorial decision, and based on the facts presented, a correct one.
Like the first response poster I am a little confused by the reporting of the Clayton King comments. The context is unclear if he made these comments at a public meeting where the hiring was being discussed or in another context. Although the context is not important to the underlying facts which are true, it helps the reader understand why Mr. King may have said what he did. For example- was he concerned that the school was covering this up and came forward out of that concern? Or was this discussed in a public forum and he was an outspoken presence.
I believe there is a public official by that name in Farmington. If it is the same gentleman then readers may wish to form an opinion as to his judgement (as a public figure) based on his comments and motivations on this matter.
As to Mr. Philbrick, in my opinion, his current character is the important issue, not a twenty year old mistake.
Okay, I found it: Clayton King, Jr., is the vice-chairman of the Planning Board. If that’s why his opinions are news it seems a little disingenuous to just say he’s “a Farmington resident.” I’m a Farmington resident, and that doesn’t make my opinions news. The most I can usually do is write a letter to the editor, and maybe they’ll print it; or maybe they’ll find fault with it and I’ll have to rewrite it; or maybe they’ll reject it without any explanation, at which point there’s not much I can do. I haven’t the physical stamina to stand in front of the post office and hand out leaflets.
Why is it today that a felony is only a mistake? We are talking about children’s lives here.