Friday, February 18, 2011

PA School District Wants DJ To Apologize

Lakeland School District wants a radio personality to apologize for allegedly reporting "false and defamatory" information about the district.

According to a story by Caitlin Heaney at thetimes-tribune.com, the school board unanimously approved a resolution Wednesday night, authorizing its attorneys to send letters to radio station Froggy 101 (WGGY) and its affiliates to demand an apology from host Jacob Navarro.

The district claims Mr. Navarro erroneously reported on Dec. 17 and 20 that a Lakeland student had taken a gun to school and school officials covered up the matter. Those actions were "irresponsible, malicious, unethical and damaging to the community and represent the worst in smear tactics," according to the resolution. Board Vice President Richard Koruszko said the statements were "completely false."

After Mr. Navarro allegedly made the reports, parents contacted Lakeland about pulling their students from school, and one person told a school board member she almost crashed her car when she heard the statement, said Superintendent Margaret Billings-Jones, Ed.D.

Mr. Koruszko said the board passed the resolution for the community because Mr. Navarro's alleged comments caused a disservice to the public.

"It's a very serious matter, and there (were) many, many concerned parents who, when they heard that news, they were upset," he said.

The resolution also authorizes the district's attorneys to contact the Federal Communications Commission and other authorities about the matter and to ask Mr. Navarro to "cease and desist from such irresponsible broadcasting."

Read more here.

No comments:

Post a Comment