Wagons HO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! . No Doubt.

Another isolated incident blown way out of perspective by the local media. Across the pond, how long will it be before Richard Danielson, Tom Marshall, John Martin and Dong-Phuong Nguyen, each of them Times' Staff Writers, will be called in and reprimanded for writing negative information about a government agency.

Deputies: Four teens raped another in Walker Middle School locker room - St. Petersburg Times

On the banks of the Hillsborough River, it is almost unconscionable that a local reporter by the name of Josh Poltilove has put his career on the line. There may be a reason that an unknown reporter gets this assignment over the reporters that usually cover the local government agency. Josh must be expendable. Marilyn knows better.

Students arrested in rape of boy: "TAMPA - For almost two months, four middle school students continually picked on a 13-year-old schoolmate."

How long will it be before the St. Pete Times and the Tampa Tribune will get a call for allowing the public to post misinformation, anger and ugliness? This type of uncontrolled, uncensored information does not promote the good will of the local government agency.

The wagons, no doubt, have circled. The records, no doubt, are being scrubbed. The real story, no doubt, is being scripted over the week-end. The fall person, if there needs to be one, no doubt, is being targeted. Public trust, no doubt, will be won at all cost.

"stephanie from tampaMay 8th, 2009 6:17 PM

I am a teacher in a Hillsborough public school and honestly, this news did not surprise me. Parents have no idea what goes on and when they do, they always try to cover for their child. I bet you admin. saw something like this was going to happen!"

claire from st. peteMay 8th, 2009 4:53 PM

if a civil suit is filed, due to sovereign immunity, the school bd. may only have to pay $100k on this one. i would recommend settling that lawsuit sooner rather than later, since you know it's coming...(and with good reason)

Reading "district speak" takes some training. Understanding that first, the student will be blamed and then, second, the parent, gives insight into interpreting the following statement:

Students arrested in rape of boy: "Hegarty said he didn't know whether the boy had reached out to teachers for help before this week."

If, indeed, the opening line is correct that the bullying went on for two months, then the student is certainly negligent for not having come forward in an assertive manner, as bullied victims are known to do. This bullied victim is probably well known as a frequent complainer. Perhaps the victim suffers from the "crying wolf" syndrome, so no one listened to him as he told people that he was being picked on. The parents, if involved, and if they had notified the school that there was a problem, would also know not to go speak to the school board and make negative statements about any administrator. Good parents understand the grievance procedure. Good parents know to trust the system.

I can also see why this politician has a target on her, even within the wagon train:

Students arrested in rape of boy:

"School board member April Griffin wants a thorough investigation.
'I'd like to know more about the bullying situation and find out how long that was taking place,' she said.
'I was absolutely sickened when I first heard about it. I have two teenage boys myself and, as a parent more than anything else, I can't even imagine.'"

Statements like that are but a mis-step in the lock-step of the system. A loose wagon, so to speak, that needs more indoctrination training.

Who wants to bet that this victim just made the whole story up? It was just a dream. Doesn't Kansas still have wagon trains?