No Suck-Up award here....

A few months ago a carrier for The Register & Bee came into the offices on Monument St. to pick up his paycheck. He was very angry and pushed some folks around - not a good thing. But no one was ever told WHAT he was so angry about.

I heard today - that when he came to pick up his paycheck he was told he owed the company money. They had told him he'd need plastic bags and rubber bands for the paper, but no one bothered to tell him he would be charged for those things. Yep. Carriers pay for their own rubber bands, plastic bags, gas and wear and tear on their car, insurance - all that. They are contract labor. It seems to me someone SHOULD have informed him. Since that's not done - I'm doing it here. ASK. GET IT IN WRITING. The Danville Register & Bee will promise you the moon and then once you're hired - the promises evaporate.

But about bullies. I've had several comments about the bullying aspect of all this. That's what led me to YouTube.com and then seeing the videos about children being bullied. It's a major problem in our schools. The schools deny it, but parents have come to me about it - of course since The Danville Register & Bee works hard to earn the school's "Suck-up" award every year...that's not a topic for pursuit.

The Suck-Up award - which I can proudly say I was not given and was the only journalist NOT given it....is an award the School Board hands out to the local media every year IF and ONLY IF the media has not "ambushed them" with difficult questions, "bad" press, investigative stories that point out wrongdoing by the school board and its members and has represented the school board in a positive, upbeat and "Friendly" manner.

Like I said - The SUCK UP award. The subtle message they're sending is, "We'll reward you with a pat on the head if you don't cause us discomfort." I am very PROUD of the fact it was never foisted on me. That would have been an embarrassment. The media does not exist to make life "easy" and comfortable for anyone. The media SHOULD exist to ensure that citizens are informed, alerted and educated about what's taking place in their community. It's about time for the Suck-Up Awards to be announced so pay attention. See who gets one this year!! Hint: EVERYBODY!!!! Except me of course.

So parents, scroll down and watch the video on bullying - the one where all those kids committed suicide after being bullied. Nice kids. Sweet kids. One of those kids died here in Virginia and her parents were instrumental in getting recent bullying legislation passed here in the schools. It needs more teeth and parents need to demand it be enforced. Or - one day you too may be grieving the loss of a child because the Danville Register & Bee won a suck-up award and no one told you how bad the bullying was in the schools here. It's your kids.