March 2, 1995
Your story "Campus Reacts to Arrest in Classroom" (Gater, Feb. 26) perpetuates misinformation and contradicts other stories you have done in the series on the arrest of Jason Archie.
Your reporter, Audrey Wong, clearly was not in possession of the same facts your other writers had about the incident, because she allowed interviewees to comment negatively on the teacher who "filed the complaint" against Archie. Larry Medcalf made comments about a teacher who had filed a complaint and seemingly not followed procedure (she had); later, the reporter writes, "One student felt the teacher who filed the complaint against Archie should not have called the UPD."
This directly contradicts information contained in your "AS rep's fate on hold" story, which includes in the story and in boldface on the back page the information that the teacher involved, Virginia Elliott, very clearly stated that she did follow procedures, did *not* file a complaint against the student, and that these things are supported in the police file on the case.
You have done Elliott a disservice by perpetuating the belief held by some on this campus that she is responsible for Archie winding up in San Quentin; she is not. Whether the students want to acknowledge it or not, Mr. Archie, despite having paid for his education and wanting to improve himself, in the eyes of his parole officer committed a violation of his parole, and surely Archie knows what the rules are, if others do not.
I believe you owe Elliott an apology.
Editor's note: The reporter should not have used the word "complaint." Virginia Elliot filed an informative statement about the incident involving Archie. The Golden Gater regrets the error.