While reading my letter to the editor (a bit of ego stroking) in Thursday’s paper I couldn’t help but notice the Reporter’s Notebook piece by Katie Bartel on the facing page.
I was shocked. As an old editor, I was schooled in the principle that a newspaper reporter would report the news without bias while the editorial writers would write the editorials and opinion pieces.
The ‘opinion’ piece by Ms Bartel, who regularly reports on school board meetings, is a blatant and personal attack on four elected trustees. Her criticism comes across as an attempt at reader (voter) manipulation especially when it appears just before the election.
Ms Bartel is entitled to her opinions, but when she launches an attack on four trustees, going so far as to criticizing their mannerisms, then she loses all credibility as a reporter and her integrity on school board matters is called into question.
Ms Bartel has chosen a dangerous path if she wishes to remain a reporter. She has shot herself in the foot when it comes to unbiased reporting on school board matters. It is, in my opinion, irresponsible journalism.
Andy Fraser