Comments on: Dobbins won’t face criminal charges

By: George

George — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:41:30 +0000

What a bunch of garbage. Chris is about the nicest and most honest person on the face of the earth. I’m absolutely positive that anyone who knows Chris, knows these charges are absolutely bogus.

By: James Jones, Jr., Parent, etc.

James Jones, Jr., Parent, etc. — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 20:57:23 +0000

Yeah, I read that. I guess, in my mind, the criminal charges were the larger issue.

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 19:59:31 +0000

Dobbins has been cleared of criminal charges, but the district’s inquiry is still underway.

By: James Jones, Jr., Parent, etc.

James Jones, Jr., Parent, etc. — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 19:51:11 +0000

Katy, you said: If and when he is officially cleared, MY EDITORS plan to give that story the same play as the initial one..

Same play huh? That tiny blurb of an article that started in the bottom left hand corner of today’s front page is what your editor’s consider the same play?
Why not the Front page of the metro section? I guess “Floats For Foaming Fans” was to Fantastic an alliteration to pass up; and much sexier than the conclusion of this much publicized, career-threatening, potentially freedom-ending, criminal investigation. Well, if your Editors want to know why their audience is getting smaller and smaller, tell them they are losing us one unevenly covered story at a time.

IF THE D.A. HAD FILED CHARGES, THIS STORY WOULD HAVE MADE HEADLINES.

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 17:13:07 +0000

The question was not hypothetical. I began investigating the story before the OUSD statement went out, but the fact that it did go out made it imperative to publish the article as soon as possible. Of course, there is a rush to be first, especially when you have verified information. That’s how the news business works, and that is what my earlier question — which you just referenced — alluded to.

By: James Jones, Jr., Parent, etc.

James Jones, Jr., Parent, etc. — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 17:02:40 +0000

Katy, you said:

“Ask yourself this question: OUSD puts out a statement about the investigation and sends it to several news outlets. How would my editors react if I sat on the information and they saw it on the news that night?”

So, the rush to be first did trump all else? And the District didn’t prematurely send statements out to all the news outlets? And the question you posed above? was that hypothetical?

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 15:11:21 +0000

I should clarify: OUSD released the statement a few hours after I called to confirm what I had heard about an investigation. To be fair, my editors would probably have run the story even without that statement since we received confirmation from other board members, including Dobbins. It just made it all the more necessary, from a news standpoint, to publish the story when we did.

By: Jim Mordecai

Jim Mordecai — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 04:56:50 +0000

Why did the OUSD administration go to the press with the story there was an
investigation? Who was responsible for making that decision? And, what was
their thinking as to why it was necessary?

By: Turner Dodge

Turner Dodge — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 19:40:13 +0000

I thought you did a good job with this issue, Katy.

By: James Jones, Jr., Parent, etc.

James Jones, Jr., Parent, etc. — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 00:08:40 +0000

Katy, you do a really good job covering Oakland’s educational scene. I did notice the kid-gloves you’ve been using on this story; and the fact that you are taking the time to respond to us here in this forum says allot about you. BUT, but this story has NOTHING to do with Education.

I think the real story here has to do with the possible political implications:

1. Who benefits from Chris’s resignation?

2. Why would the District distribute this to news outlets before concluding their internal investigation?

3. Conduct does not have to be criminal to be deemed inappropriate. If they have proof that this happened, then why haven’t they taken action?

4. Does the timing of these allegations have anything to do with the momentum of AB 45? Right before the Board is about to get some of it’s mojo back, we have a scandal? I don’t believe in coincidence.