Here's to you, Ms. "I don't know what the hell I was thinking" Editor....AND your lame ass excuses.

This was the reply that I recieved from the editor this morning. Hmmm......Does she want me to send her a twelve page LIST of all the shit that taxpayers are paying for that they would be appauled if they knew?--400,000 tax dollars for a TEAPOT MUSEUM in Raleigh, NC?! Planned Parenthood?! Come on, Editor, is that all you can come up with?


Thank you for writing. I certainly do understand and appreciate your opinion. However, Mr. Peasley and Mrs. Bergman allowed their relationship to become public when they irresponsibly began using publicly-funded computer systems to conduct it during school hours while citizens' tax dollars paid for them to write such messages. This story was about accountability and the public's right to know what these role models were doing while they were supposed to be teaching children. We excluded all of the very inappropriate conversations these two conducted during school hours while students were in the classroom and toned the story down as much as possible. I assure you a lot of thought went into making sure we were doing the right thing in regard to this story.

As for the Herald, I think we're all smart enough to know that while the public may not be able to read our e-mail, our bosses certainly can. There is no such thing as private e-mail unless one is in their own private home on a private computer.

Editor
Columbia Basin Herald
813 W. Third Ave.
Moses Lake, WA 98837
509.765.4561
fax: 509.765.8659

My original letter:

Shame on you Columbia Basin Herald.

First let me say that I do not know or have a personal relationship with Mr. Peasley or Ms. Bergman. And I certainly do not condone adultery. That being said, my heart broke for Mr. Peasley and Ms. Bergman after I read your story about them. I would be paying it too
much respect to even call it an "article".

I could not believe that the CBH would stoop so low and publish the
sordid details of their adult, mutually consensual relationship. The
poor decisions they made are, no doubt, having major repercussions
in their personal and professional lives. Those are natural consequences. But why is it that their personal lives need to be played out, including private emails, on the front page of our local paper? How inappropriate. How sad. How disappointing.

Oh how I wish the Columbia Basin Herald were a government entity, so
that we might relish in the juicy details of private emails sent to
and received by the staff there. What do you think we might find? And
how devastating might it be to their family and friends?

If your goal was to make an impact, Columbia Basin Herald, you have
certainly accomplished it. I am afraid to tell you however, that the
only lives you have changed by "breaking" this story are those you
have only further damaged. What would be an appropriate way to deal
with this incident? A letter sent home to the students' parents. A
private meeting, open only to fellow teachers, administrators and
those directly involved and/or concerned.

Please, in the future, have more discretion when choosing the stories
that might grace the front page of our paper. Do the right thing,
because I feel pretty certain this wasn't.

Sincerely Disappointed,