Over the years, I’ve been extremely critical of news organizations getting a story very wrong and instead of manning-up and admitting the damage caused, they bury or even ignore their errors hoping it will all go away.
I got caught up in a story and failed to double check before I went to post, misread very pertinent information and caused damage to an individual who was doing her job professionally and to Lafayette, Louisiana KATC reporter Justice Henderson, I offer this public apology.
It began with a story posted online about a September 18th public debate in Lafayette over a drag queen book presentation to children under six years of age and its appropriateness.
Drag queens are deliberately “grooming” the next generation to accept LGBT ideology when they read to children in public libraries at drag queen “story hour” events, a U.S. drag queen admitted.
— Life Site News, 11/27/18
I have been, and will be, openly critical of any and all political and/or sexual indoctrination in schools. I believe it’s intellectually cowardly as children have little frame of reference and thus are ill-equipped to challenge those with appointed authority status. The left considers my opinion on such matters “hate”. So be it.
In researching video of that public meeting and local news stories of the controversy in question, I came across a clip of KATC’s Justice Henderson claiming there was only one dissenting comment made during the hearing. Only one problem. The clip of which Henderson was reporting was from August 21 and that Lafayette City Parish Council meeting held on the topic was dominated by pro-drag queen progressives: NOT the later date of September 18th which was a Council meeting with conservatives opposed to the proposed “Drag Queen Story Time” presentation at the Lafayette Public Library.
I was guilty of seeing what I wanted to believe and missed what was right in front of me: the very important dates.
I created a video, which I promptly removed when informed by Ms. Henderson of my error, mashing her August quote with September responses from the attending public during the Council meeting giving the very erroneous impression she was lying and I even wrote as much.
Had one of my former reporters created such a post and had not verified the information before even issuing the story for my approval, I would have reminded that reporter of the potential damage to the reputation of all parties, including our own. I would have appropriately said the reporting was sloppy if not seriously irresponsible.
Again, I apologize for my blatant failure to uphold journalistic standards and to any angst caused to Ms. Henderson and her KATC-3 employer in Lafayette, Louisiana.
I’ve always told reporters that the few seconds it takes to check and recheck is worth it.
In the future, I will remember my own words.
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