A client asks:  “Help, we want to tell parents about fights in schools and other stats — but schools cite ‘student confidentiality.’  What do we do?”

I agree with the schools that you shouldn’t release the names or any personal information about students who are kicked out of school, accused of carrying weapons in school, or anything of that nature.  The exceptions would be for cases that become a matter of public record.

That’s why stations focus on the statistics including which schools had the highest reported rates and lowest rates of expulsions, cases of bullying, weapons seized, drugs seized?   Those issues worry parents.  They’re concerned about the safety of their kids and what’s going on in the schools, but can’t get information directly.  Many suspect principals want to keep the information secret, so they won’t look bad or they simply distrust the media because they feel they’ve been “burned” in the past.

Parents hope TV stations will shine a light on what’s going on.  When rates go up, they want to know why and what principals are going to do about it.  And if the news is good and things are getting better, viewers are curious to know why, too.  As one parent told us, “I want that for my kid’s school.”

Many school systems think the media will “go away” if the people in charge say they have a legal right to keep information from parents and the public.  Of course, this makes for far more engaging viewer advocacy when you raise the issue.

PROVEN, PRACTICAL SOLUTION

• Talk on camera or off to a few parents who are concerned about what’s going on in the schools, notably the safety of their kids and their quality of education.

• Find out the questions they want answered.  You’re taking action for them.

• Tell the people in charge that several parents are interested in knowing expulsion rates, for example, or whatever would interest them and other parents.

• If they tell you that parents and the public shouldn’t know about this, ask them if it’s okay to record the conversation.  You want to be sure your viewers are hearing the reasons directly from them because accuracy matters.

• Ask them “Why don’t you trust the public with the information?”  After all, it’s taxpayer money so doesn’t the public have a right to know?

• Report the story just the way it played out.  That’s “transparency.”  The point is that parents would like to know what’s going on in the schools affecting the safety of their kids — but school officials say it’s best if they don’t know.  Then give the school system’s reason for keeping it secret.  You need to be fair.  Make it clear you’re not asking for names, just numbers.  

• Contact school board members, who tend to represent the interest of many parents.  Ask them if they also agree parents are better served if the school system keeps important safety information secret.

An education reporter in Virginia brought me the same problem/opportunity as you did.   What was so great was that the school insisted on keeping the information secret.  The station reported it just like I suggest here. 

Parents were upset.  The station owned the story.  Parents called for a school board meeting.  The school superintendent resigned, the reporter went on to win an Edward R. Murrow award, and the station’s ratings soared.  Viewers saw the station as taking action for parents in a big way, setting itself apart from the competition, building its brand of journalism.

This entry was posted on Friday, September 11th, 2009 at 6:13 am and is filed under TV news training, broadcast journalism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.