Reporter’s Corner:

Why are you angry now?

In November of 2018, two teenaged girls (both minors under 18) were arrested by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
The two girls had called Jefferson Somerset and announced anonymously that three bombs had been planted at the school.
The school went into evacuation, deputies searched the school and the threat was designated as a false alarm.
Only a few days later, the scenario was repeated when the girls again called and announced that another bomb had been planted at the school.
An investigation ensued and it was discovered that the two 17-year-old girls were at fault for the bomb threats.
Both girls were arrested.
Both girls had their booking photos on the front page of the Monticello News only a few days after their arrest took place.
The girls' names and photos, as well as the information pertaining to their arrest, was released by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
There was no public outrage. The Monticello News office received no calls from angry or disappointed members of the community.
No one threatened to cancel their subscription because we had “ruined” the lives of these two girls.
In fact, most of the comments received by the newspaper staff were along the lines of “These kids should know better” or “I knew better when I was their age.”
These two African American girls committed a crime and even though they were minors, no community member stood up in their defense.
It didn't bother anyone that these two young, school-age girls had their faces on the front page. It didn't raise any hackles that these girls were having their “lives ruined” by the local newspaper reporting on their felony crime.
No one was angry.
Fast-forward in time to this week, when the Monticello News once again printed the names, photos, and crimes of minors.
This time, four minors broke into and severely damaged a school building. These four children committed criminal mischief and property damage that will cost someone $30,000 to repair – at least.
Long before these children were arrested, the crime was known throughout the community.
Fingers were pointed by people who thought it might have been a hate crime, or an angry adult who broke all the windows to the Jefferson Elementary School building.
By no means was this crime a secret or concealed – so when an arrest was made, I reported on it.
Yes, the culprits of this felony were children.
Yes, they were under 18.
But also – yes, under Florida law, I am allowed to do that.
Florida statute 985.04 says: “The name, photograph, address, and crime or arrest report of a child taken into custody by a law enforcement officer for a violation of law which, if committed by an adult, would be a felony; charged with a violation of law which, if committed by an adult, would be a felony; found to have committed an offense which, if committed by an adult, would be a felony...are not considered confidential and exempt solely because of the child’s age.”
In both news stories, the children committed felonies, which means by law, the press is allowed to release the information pertaining to these children – no different than if they were adults.
So why, this time, is everyone enraged and jumping to the defense of these four Caucasian children?
No one defended the two girls arrested for the bomb threat.
Where was your anger then?
What sets these four children apart from the two children who were on our front page in November?
Why are you angry now?
I feel for any child who is arrested for a felony crime; my heart breaks for the four kids who vandalized the elementary school because I know their lives have been set on a path and only they can decide how their story plays out from here.
But it is not my job as a news reporter to protect and shield people from the effects of their criminal actions, even if those people are children.
It is my job to report on the news.
And I did.
I understand being confused and upset that children were featured on our front page as criminals, that the names and photos of the children were released; I took no joy in my job at having to release that news or the news of the two girls being arrested for the bomb threat. But I don't believe in hiding a crime simply because the dialog is upsetting.
This is my manifesto; as unfortunate as it was that this took place, we cannot ignore that it did.
Children are committing crimes, and if you are angry that the newspaper revealed that fact, then perhaps your interests need realignment.
Within six months, at least six children were arrested for felony crimes - that should be where your concern comes from, not from the fact that the newspaper talked about it.
I leave you with a simple declaration of the facts: two African American children were on the front page and no one complained. Four Caucasian children were placed on the front page and our newspaper office has been threatened with lawsuits, with harm, with poisonous words and offensive names.
Why?