NLA Discussion: Being quoted out of context

[Paul Jurmo]

Hal et al, 

Here we go again.  Those who were on the NLA list 1-2 years ago will 
possibly remember a similar concern which was raised by an NLA 
subscriber.  She described being quoted from the NLA list by -- I'm sure 
-- the same newsletter which Hal is talking about now.  In the earlier 
incident, the subscriber said that what she said was, in effect, taken 
out of context and what was quoted in the newsletter was not her exact 
sentiments. 

In any case, in her subsequent posting to the NLA list, she asked how
others felt about the prospects of having what was intended as a friendly
discussion among colleagues to be used in a way that could lead to
confusion and embarrassment.  Other subscribers responded and said that
(a) apparently it's legal for others to use what we say out of context,
(b) it's not particularly colleaguial or ethical for them to do so,
however, and (c) we need to be a bit careful about what we say over so
public a medium as a listserv. 

Sounds like we have pretty much the same thing happening again.  I 
remember working for another national literacy newsletter some years ago 
and my editor was a stickler for (a) getting the facts straight, and (b) 
not unnecessarily embarrassing or alienating our sources.  (What's the 
point of doing so?) 

Paul Jurmo
Learning Partnerships
14 Griffin St.
East Brunswick, NJ 08816-4806
732-254-2237