now Channel 5 is going after the young students for Peace and Civil Rights

[annm4peace]

Last night I watched Channel 5's reporting of young students participating in a protest at the Gov's office because of the cuts to GAMC, therapists and Personal Care Assistants for the Disabled and cuts to MNCARE.

Instead of reporting those speaking at the Press Conference, Chris chose instead to do a hit piece on the school that allowed the students from a Peace Charter school to participate in "Civil Rights" that they had been studying. I was so disgusted.

At a time when crazies are vandalizing homes and office of Congress members and leaving death threats and obscene phone calls. Channel 5 wants to create anger toward an elementary school.



Well, I wrote the reporter and the managing Channel 5 director and cc'd the FCC democratic member and sent what I wrote to some others who do online news and Mike who is on 950am progressive radio with his 5pm show Quick on the Uptake

A mother who's daughter is at the school had emailed me some disturbingly sad but not surprising news of the charter peace school that her daughter attends.

The school has received a lot of negative calls and didn't let the kids out for recess and kept the main doors locked.

Those students should have been proud of participating in a "Die In".. instead they were in lock down because of threatening calls.

I told the mother I was going to send the email below with her message to the MN Attorney General, Mayor Rybak and Police Chief Dolan and that maybe some of the Civil Rights Veterans we have in the Twin Cities would like to have their own Press Conference and speak out against the attack on students who participate in Civil Rights and demonstrations.

Here is what I sent the Chris, the report of Channel 5, and the News Director of Channel 5.

Hi Chris, (report with Channel 5)
Yesterday the People's Bailout Coalition (many groups which included nuns) had a protest at the Gov's office. (his office didn't even bother to open the door). There were many groups there and included a class that wanted to do their study on civil rights action at this event. The kids decided where they wanted to put in action what the learned. Intelligently they choose an event that could possible affect them and their families. The cut to health care and support on the very poor and the disabled.

Anyhow.. I didn't know about the class just that the Die In was happening yesterday and wanted to see how the news covered it, and if they did cover the Press Conference.

So I turned on channel 5 news.. WHOA!!! what a hateful spin you did on it. Channel 5 said Pawlenty's cuts were to Welfare.. and that a charter school used tax payers money for the kids to join the protest.. and some unaware professor from a college they interviewed (who probably didn't even know the story) said that the kids shouldn't participate unless they used it as a teaching moment. (this charter school is a peace and social justice school.. what a horrible idea (sarcasm).
Channel 5 didn't even show the speakers or what they had to say.. nor mention that the cuts are to GAMC.. the care for the extreme poor including homeless Veterans. What is very ironic that you didn't even mention that there are cuts to PCA and therapies for children and disabled adults, especially since I'm sure you know people who depend on the PCA. People who are part of "Friends of Alexander Deihl Foundation".

Here is the video of the Press Conference that someone took that is what a true journalist would have covered.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1a7-EcnyEQ

and here is your hit piece on a group of kids learning and PARTICIPATING in civil rights.

http://kstp.com/news/stories/S1481311.shtml?cat=1

I would rather my tax dollars go to schools that teach children about civil rights, diplomacy, peace, and compassion than how to be soldier or to stifle their critical thinking, and I don't even have children or know of any children who attend the school mentioned in your story.

Shame on you for not reporting and not covering what the women had to say at their press conference, and shame on you for attacking these students who are learning about democracy in this country. I guess they learned the hard way the propaganda and lack of true journalism in this country with Corporate News on Public Airwaves.

You should apologize to the People Coalition and to these students from Southside Family School on one of your broadcasts.

**********************************************

Maybe you could also email Chris and the News Director... or Boycott Channel 5 advertisers, or call in to radio shows and bring up this story.

What is really sad is after 10 years of Corporate media ignoring those speaking out for peace or trying to make peace activists appear as crazy loons.. they have now moved on to children and what is anyone doing about it? Who or what is next?

[glinda]

1. Good that you brought attention to this. One night, one of the talking head (blond woman) was

wearing a big honkin cross necklace while reporting. A few shots later, it was gone. They must have gotten some phone calls on it. The state of our media in general, local and national, truly is lacking and in many cases, radically pushing conservative agenda and talking points. Seems they must have no money for checking facts or they do not care.

[annm4peace]

2. A letter written by a friend who was at the event to Channel 5

5-Eyewitness News/KSTP
News Director Lindsay Radsord
Megan Newquist, Eye Witness News
Chris O’Connell, Eye Witness News
3415 University Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55114-2099
May 25, 2010

I am writing in regard to your May 24, 2010 coverage of a social justice protest at the Minnesota State Capitol.

I felt compelled to participate in a social justice protest, along with several Catholic nuns and a group of concerned people who were defending poor and working people against draconian cuts to social programs that affected them and would increase deprivation and suffering and could even cause food shortage, homelessness and even death (cuts to healthcare). The protest was about already allocated money being taken away from poor and working poor families and the disabled and elderly.

A member of my family was a Minnesota state legislator for years. Later, as an adult with a child, encouraged by my continued belief in a representative government responsible to the people and in educating youth about citizen activism, I brought students from my daughter’s school class to the Minnesota State Capitol on a field trip to a protest regarding a social justice issue. I have also encouraged other parents and educators of students to take them to the state capitol to learn first-hand about participatory democracy and how they can address issues of social injustice to government representatives. What better way for students to learn about the empowerment of responsible citizenship than by participating in it?

As news staff, you must be aware that many religious groups and individuals, as well as social service advocates, civic-minded groups and individuals go to the capitol at various times to protest cuts to social programs. But your news report gave a disturbingly negative portrayal of a school group who went to the capitol on May 24 to participate in a civil liberties exercise and speak truth to power. The way your news report was announced and the report, itself, came across as highly critical of the most vulnerable in society—poor and working people whose very survival depends on these social programs--and then young students and educators defending them! Some of the students protesting may have been from families who were directly affected by these cuts.

Because I want them to grow up learning responsible citizenship and empowerment about social justice issues, I brought my grandchildren to the May 24 demonstration. I was very pleased for them to see the Southside School children join the protest as examples of youth, a little older than they, learning civic lessons in the field and advocating for the most vulnerable in society.

If your intent was to attack charter schools for going on field trips you picked the wrong example. Although there are issues of accountability and transparency with some charter schools, this does not appear to be the case with the Southside Family School. By going to the state capitol, the school was showing the ultimate in accountability and transparency—what could demonstrate accountability and transparency more than for a school to participate squarely in the public eye around an issue it clearly advocates for? I looked up Southside Family School’s web site and it states that as an urban school, it “encourages students to see themselves as citizen activists who can change the world” and it helps children avoid internalizing the effects of discrimination by teaching a history of organizing opposition to injustice.” Although your report indicated that the students’ parents were unaware of what they were doing and hence implied disapproval, it should have been evident, with a minimum amount of research on your part, that the parents who send their children to a school with such a mission must certainly embrace the school’s philosophy.

I also noted from the web site that the Southside Family School is sponsored by the Hamline University Graduate School of Education, yet you did not interview anyone from that institution, but rather solely a professor from Macalester College, who may not have had contextual information about the school and event.

I earnestly hope that KSTP does not continue to criticize and discourage any students, educators, parents and schools from active field day participation in social justice and civic involvement at the state capitol.

[becxx]

6. I'm with you

One would think KSTP would be happy someone is protesting these terrible injustices. I can see why reporters are respected about as much as used car salespersons.

I don't even bother watching TV news these days and most citizens wisely are on my track.

[Mister Ed]

3. Was it you I heard describing this on AM 950?

If so, you did a good job with it.

:hi:


Edited for spelling

[annm4peace]

4. Why yes it was and thanks

I thought I stumbled through the whole thing.. but I was so upset and had so much to say.

Mike does a great job.. I wish he would have on some of those who were there and the students who participated. Shame on KARE and KSTP who think kids are dumb.

There are many kids who are more aware and engaged by 6th grade than some adults.

[MNmom]

5. Channel 5 has taped many peace events - sometimes beginning to end - and often does not use a minute

of the tape. I was at the Minnesota Leaders Oppose US War on Iran a year ago. Channel 5 was there an hour before it started - stayed through the event - there were some state reps, state senators, religious leaders, etc. And then they did not air 10 seconds of it. I recall they had 5 minutes about a Northwest plane from Denver that had to stop in Des Moines because of two tics. But not 10 seconds after they had spent all that time at the peace event. They are getting worse.