A. Family Court

     What are the pros and cons of opening family or juvenile court to the public, which includes the press? Some proposals call for open court but a prohibition on using the names of juvenile offenders. The courts have ruled that the press can use the names of juvenile offenders if reporters can obtain them, but most courts are closed and deal harshly with those who disclose names of juvenile offenders. Most newspapers will refuse to use the names but make exceptions in unusual cases or when a competitor has disclosed an identity.
     You might invite to class a juvenile court judge, a social worker or an attorney who handles such cases.

B. Harassment

     You receive the following press release from the office of Mayor Sam Parnass:

     Mayor Sam Parnass and the Human Rights Commission Director, Stanley Downey, announced today the settlement of a sexual harassment case involving a young Freeport proofreader who worked for the Freeport Press Corporation.
     In the settlement, the corporation agreed to pay the complainant "Jane Doe" a total of $44,200.
     In a complaint filed in August, a woman in her teens charged that from her first day of employment at Freeport Press, three male employees—Anthony Blount, Donald Trump and Henry Morton—sexually harassed her. The harassment allegedly included obscene jokes and sexist remarks about her and other female employees. The complainant specifically charged that Blount, a typesetter and assistant supervisor, fondled her, touched her hair with his face and brushed against her.
     Mayor Parnass said, "There is no such thing as an 'okay' amount of sexual harassment or discrimination. It is incumbent on employers to keep their workplaces free of these egregious behaviors and to treat their employees' concerns about them seriously.
     "Unwarranted sexual advances, sexist statements and derogatory comments based on one's gender are simply unacceptable. If employers lack the resolve to prohibit these practices from the workplace or to respond vigorously when they appear, the city will step in, as we have in this instance, to make sure the proper protections are afforded to Freeport workers."
     Human Rights Commission Director Downey said, "Many women who find themselves subjected to sexist remarks and lewd behavior at work are unsure of what to do for fear of losing their jobs. This courageous woman took action and brought her case to the Commission on Human Rights. While I'm sure no amount of money would make up for this reprehensible and illegal sexual harassment, this settlement from this company sends a message to employers that they must not discriminate and that they are responsible for the behavior of their supervisors and employees."
     The complainant also alleged that her own efforts to address the situation through her supervisor led to public ridicule by the male management. A requested transfer to another shift and a formal complaint filed with the Special Project and Art Composition Room Manager were unsuccessful. Finally, after a conflict with her supervisor, the complainant became emotionally upset and went home sick. The next day she was terminated.
     Freeport Press has agreed to adopt and distribute a sexual harassment policy to all employees and conspicuously place posters outlining the new procedures for handling sexual harassment complaints. The company agreed to conduct special sensitivity training programs for all its supervisors and employees. Additionally, the firm agreed that the supervisory personnel responsible for enforcing the policy would have to attend an initial training session and be reviewed regularly.
     Joseph Finnegan was the prosecutor for the Commission's Law Enforcement Bureau, and Pamela Bell represented the complainant.

     You dig into this case, the first sexual harassment settlement in Freeport, and you learn that the "Jane Doe" is Sandra Beg­ley, 17-year-old daughter of the city clerk.

1. Do you use her name in the story?
2. Do you use the names of the three employees who are named in the press release?
3. How much space or time would you give this story, and where in the newspaper or on a local news broadcast would you place this item?