
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, June 20, 1994                    TAG: 9406160025 
SECTION: FRONT                     PAGE: A6    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: Medium 
DATELINE: 940620                                 LENGTH:

TROUBLESOME STUDENTS' OUTING? LOOK AGAIN

{LEAD} Imagine opening the May 30 Memorial Day edition, Metro section, and finding two pictures of your 13-year-old daughter, a bright, articulate and well-behaved student, prominently pictured with the tag Camp Friendship, followed by the headline, ``Troublesome students asked to step outside. Inner-city kids try to tame their urban attitudes in a rustic, rugged setting.'' To say we were outraged is an understatement.

Our daughter is and has been an honor-roll student since first grade, is a member of the National Junior Honor Society and, we are told by everyone who comes in contact with her, conducts herself like a young lady. She is not now nor has she ever been a ``troublesome inner-city kid with an urban attitude.''

{REST} The ``troublesome inner-city kids with an urban attitude'' cited include the Dragonwhales Cluster of Lake Taylor Middle School, a group of seventh-grade students who live near Lake Taylor Middle School, students from Campostella and Berkley, honor-roll students, average students, below-average students, well-behaved students and students with behavior problems. This grouping of students complies with governmental Department of Education requirements regarding grouping of students.

With one brush stroke, your reporter painted an entire group of Lake Taylor Middle School students as ``troublesome inner-city kids with urban attitudes.'' Nothing could be further from the truth. The report smacks of bias.

Your report turned what was a fun end-of-the-school-year camping trip for my daughter and the other students into an ugly and embarrassing event.

The article continues a long-standing practice by this newspaper of biased and negative reporting toward certain public schools in Norfolk. This newspaper owes the Dragonwhales Cluster of Lake Taylor Middle School, and our daughter in particular, a public apology.

PIA FLEMMINGS RUSSELL

JAMES L. RUSSELL

Norfolk, June 3, 1994 by CNB