Page 17 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • November 2005 17
Head slams Swindon paper for
stitching up his school
An angry West Swindon headteacher has accused Swindon's daily paper
of doing irreparable damage to the reputation of his school following
publication of a story suggesting that all his pupils are graffiti vandals.
Greendown School head Steve asked not to, the Advertiser staff
O'Sullivan believes the Swindon said the pupils had left the school
Advertiser is guilty of irresponsible premises and they could ask ques-
journalism and poor editorial de- tions and take pictures. He said, "I
cision making based on flimsy in- called the Advertiser and was told
formation about how the school they were working on a graffiti
and police were considering how article.Iexplainedthebackground
to approach the problem of graf- and that any detailed proposal
fiti. would have to be discussed by the

The lifeblood of every business is sales,
without them you haven't got a business. But
getting those sales is not always easy and
many of us just hate the idea of cold calling.

Steve O'Sullivan with members of the Greendown Student Council. Back, So when a company comes along that can help
from left, Jessica Price, Daniel Mountain, Bethan Webb, Luke Watkins,
Lyndsay Hodges, Hannah Hewson. Middle, Matthew Francis, Rachel Osman. you with generating those sales and a great deal
Front, Nathan Ifill, Carney Bonner
more besides its got to be good news. VHO is
Despite Mr O'Sullivan's pleas to school council and the governors.
the Advertiser not to run a story "I also pointed out that parents establishing itself as one of the regions leading
about a brief discussion between would be very aggrieved if they telemarketing companies. And when we say
himself and local beat officer PC were not consulted about a school
Paul Matthews, the paper ran a policy. Sure enough I had irate telemarketing don't think timed sales calls
front page headline and a page 2 parents calling for an explanation and scripted responses.
article on Friday 30 September and pupils upset they had been
claiming the school and the police branded as graffiti vandals.
were launching a blitz on graffiti, "I was shocked that the local VHO simply isn't like that; they're different.
and that children face arrest for paper would publish a story based
carrying marker pens. on so little information, and inac- Different by learning about what a clients
A shocked Mr O'Sullivan ex- curate quotes. And itis disappoint-
plained that Freshbrook and ing a senior reporter, the editor business is really about. Different by not having
Grange Park beat officer PC Paul and the managing director were ti me limits on calls. And different by offering
Matthews had approached him not interested in the context of the
about tagging across West Swin- story and were happy with it." services that includes comprehensive marketing
don. "As West Swindon's commu- Mr O'Sullivan said he was also planning and implementation.
nity school we take our responsi- astonished when another story was
bilities to pupils and the whole published on Tuesday 4 October,
area seriously. If graffiti is an issue repeating the inaccuracies and You can get to know all about how VHO by
in the community then we should implying that four over 16s ar-
work with all agencies to combat it rested for graffiti were former visiting www.vhorg.co.uk or calling the
- through education and taking Greendown pupils.
appropriate action with parents if He added, "we will continue to company on 01793 608701.
one of our pupils is involved. address graffiti because it is an
"We are no different from any issue in our community. But the
other school; a small minority of Advertiser's actions means any
pupils break the rules in and out- formal initiative with the police
side school. But the whole tone of will be shelved, and the opportu-
the Advertiser article was that all nity for a good news story has
of our pupils are suspect." been lost.
Mr O'Sullivan said the first he "We take fifty per cent of West
knew of a story was when a re- Swindon's secondary age children.
porter and a photographer were The way the Swindon Advertiser
seen stopping pupils leaving has treated our pupils and our
school at the end of the day. When parents is intolerable."