What’s left to say? The consequences of using a cell phone in my classes were clearly stated this semester. Students were advised. Enlightened. Warned. Caveats to the left, caveats to the right, caveats right down the center of the class in Room 504 Hunter North, where Journalism Ethics and News Responsibility was taught. Started with about 35 students, eventually whittled to 24.
All advisements and enlightenments and warnings and caveats delivered with deliberation: F for the class after an initial warning. Yet, when it came time for the big F, I chickened out and, instead, took off one grade of the final grade. Two students this semester.
Both, of course, provided cheesy excuses, like the one below: 6:48-6:50? Not my recollection. More like smirking and gee whiz and all shucks. A mid 20s student.
“Gov. Paterson Regrets Not Telling Daniel Cicciaro Jr.’s Family Before Pardoning John Harris White” – New York Daily News
Friday, December 24th, 2010The pardon was well within the purview of a sitting Governor, lame or otherwise, especially for an inmate – a law biding citizen who had never been in trouble with the law – who, ambushed by fate, erred in a fatal decision and ended up serving a 2-to-4 year term for manslaughter and weapons possession. Nothing wrong here.
But one has to wonder how no one on Patterson’s staff thought of contacting the Cicciaros.
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Tags:racial epithets, racial violence, racial violence on Long Island
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