vision2020
Re: Moscow suicide
A number of visionaries responded to my inquiry via my personal address
last night. Given the extremely sensitive nature of this event, respondents
were appropriately concerned about the family and consequently chose not to
share what they knew with the entire vision2020 group. I honored the
writers request and in turn, questioned the appropriateness of my original
post. What did I need to know and how soon? Were there real facts available
or only more rumors? In the end however, the information I did receive
turned out to be valuable in supporting my own daughter last night. I am
afraid that other parents might not have had that same opportunity. It
seems to me that if the School Board discussed this event last night in a
public meeting, it would have been appropriate that a timely press release
be issued. It's entirely possible however, that their attention was
properly focused on supporting our children through a difficult event.
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> From: bill london <bill_london@hotmail.com>
> To: vision2020@moscow.com
> Cc: dpettit@lmtribune.com
> Subject: Moscow suicide
> Date: Wednesday, April 28, 1999 9:24 AM
>
> Did you hear the rumors floating around Moscow last night (Tuesday
> night) about the suicide of a Moscow High student? John Cronin noted
> earlier on this list that he heard that same rumor. I did as well.
>
> So, to verify, last night I called the city editor of the Lewiston
> Morning Tribune (Diane Pettit). Yes, she had also heard the rumors,
> but was not able to verify this because (as I understand it) nobody in
> the Latah County Sheriff's Office or Moscow City Police or Moscow
> School District was willing to talk about this on the record. She
> assumed that someone would issue a press release today. So, nothing
> about the suicide (if there was one) appeared in the Tribune today.
>
> I don't think that is good enough. I think the public has a right to
> know this information and that it is the responsibility of the
> police/school to pass that info on as quickly as possible.
>
> The public needs to know if it is true or not. In this era of copycat
> suicides/violence by students, it is important for teachers/parents to
> know as soon as possible if there was a suicide.
>
> The rumors were flying, and the media was ready to print the truth. I
> think the local authorities need to make that truth available to the
> media as soon as they know it. Yes, and if that means establishing a
> meaningful communication system for contacts after 5pm, then let's get
> it together.
> BL
>
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