They should have had more sense than that:lol: why would they print a story about someone connected to the school? That's like TMZ doing a undercover story on one of their own staff members:lol:


And she had the nerve to wonder why he was asked to resign. It was no other option he had to go after that especially since he was AT a party that had cocaine

I'm sure they had done stories on people connected to the school before. After all, Jo was going to write a story about the faculty lounge, so topics on Eastland and which affected Eastland students and staff in The Eastlander were clearly encouraged.

But there were problems with writing this story: Jo didn't practice F.A.C.T., she didn't get clearance from the teacher to print the story, the type of negative expose she wrote didn't belong in a student newspaper, etc. To me, there were key pieces she overlooked. Let's hope she treated her next journalism teacher more charitably... and that s/he treated Jo more kindly, as well.

Yeah, Jo really screwed up there, big time. Her biggest mistake in her entire school career.

It was very well-written though, in the "fact" that here we have one of our girls destroying a teacher's career, his way of making money so he can live, and yet we don't hate her for it.

I'm sure they had done stories on people connected to the school before. After all, Jo was going to write a story about the faculty lounge, so topics on Eastland and which affected Eastland students and staff in The Eastlander were clearly encouraged.

But there were problems with writing this story: Jo didn't practice F.A.C.T., she didn't get clearance from the teacher to print the story, the type of negative expose she wrote didn't belong in a student newspaper, etc. To me, there were key pieces she overlooked. Let's hope she treated her next journalism teacher more charitably... and that s/he treated Jo more kindly, as well.

But not the person teaching the course lol I agree with you, students yes but definitely not the teacher. It was supposed to be a teacher from another school

Yeah, Jo really screwed up there, big time. Her biggest mistake in her entire school career.

Definitely. Natalie's "abortion" story ranks a close second for bone-headed school decisions, but of course, we're just talking about Jo's bad decisions. Although, of course, hot-wiring a school van and going to a bar probably caused even worse repercussions for the girls themselves.


It was very well-written though, in the "fact" that here we have one of our girls destroying a teacher's career, his way of making money so he can live, and yet we don't hate her for it.

"Front Page" is definitely a favorite of mine because, as you say, it's well-written: we don't feel hatred for Jo, because we see that he needlessly made her into an enemy by degrading her in class. It's so much better written than, say, "The Rich Aren't Different", when, by the end, I want to strangle Jo. :lol:

Definitely. Natalie's "abortion" story ranks a close second for bone-headed school decisions, but of course, we're just talking about Jo's bad decisions. Although, of course, hot-wiring a school van and going to a bar probably caused even worse repercussions for the girls themselves.



"Front Page" is definitely a favorite of mine because, as you say, it's well-written: we don't feel hatred for Jo, because we see that he needlessly made her into an enemy by degrading her in class. It's so much better written than, say, "The Rich Aren't Different", when, by the end, I want to strangle Jo. :lol:


J laughed when Jo said to the professor......."why do praise Blair for doing a story on a hemline":lol::lol:

But not the person teaching the course lol I agree with you, students yes but definitely not the teacher. It was supposed to be a teacher from another school

I think they could have run into the same issue, running a negative story about a teacher from another school, if they had printed the teacher's name. Even worse, a teacher from another school wouldn't have had a history with Jo, possibly leading to lawsuits: Mr. Gideon realized (too late) that he had been at fault for treating Jo so poorly. another teacher, from another school, would have no reason to blame him/herself for Jo's story. That's why the faculty would always need to have some level of approval over the stories in the Eastlander: just to prevent things like libel, slander, and lawsuits.

Definitely. Natalie's "abortion" story ranks a close second for bone-headed school decisions, but of course, we're just talking about Jo's bad decisions. Although, of course, hot-wiring a school van and going to a bar probably caused even worse repercussions for the girls themselves.

True, unless Jo is very sensitive to a guilty conscience. Then what if she wakes up some nights in college and adulthood with nightmares of ruining Mr. Gideon's life, and wondering if he's making it on the streets? :(


"Front Page" is definitely a favorite of mine because, as you say, it's well-written: we don't feel hatred for Jo, because we see that he needlessly made her into an enemy by degrading her in class. It's so much better written than, say, "The Rich Aren't Different", when, by the end, I want to strangle Jo. :lol:

Hahaha, that, and that college episode about the scoreboard---I want to strangle her there too! :mad:

True, unless Jo is very sensitive to a guilty conscience. Then what if she wakes up some nights in college and adulthood with nightmares of ruining Mr. Gideon's life, and wondering if he's making it on the streets? :(

Yeah, could be. I like to think that Jo and Mr. Gideon kept in contact after that, and he found a nice new job at a newspaper.


Hahaha, that, and that college episode about the scoreboard---I want to strangle her there too! :mad:


Oh, yeah. She definitely went way overboard on "All or Nothing", the scoreboard episode, too.

Yeah, could be. I like to think that Jo and Mr. Gideon kept in contact after that, and he found a nice new job at a newspaper.




Oh, yeah. She definitely went way overboard on "All or Nothing", the scoreboard episode, too.


Did he find a new job? I thought he was saying he would try and get a job at a newspaper

Did he find a new job? I thought he was saying he would try and get a job at a newspaper

Yeah, he said he would try to find a job at a newspaper. I hope he did.

That is what journalist are suppose to do. Be independent investigators even if it's the people who sign their paychecks or give them grades, but it has to be true.

I had an experience when I was a college newspaper editor and an anonymous source sent in pictures of an athletic coach that they were evidently trying to blackmail.

That is what journalist are suppose to do. Be independent investigators even if it's the people who sign their paychecks or give them grades, but it has to be true.

Schools are often supposed to allow students to make decisions autonomously, but in the episode, we see Mr. Gideon tell Jo to "find another story", so it seems as though the instructor has some measure of control over what is printed at Eastland.


I had an experience when I was a college newspaper editor and an anonymous source sent in pictures of an athletic coach that they were evidently trying to blackmail.

Oh my goodness! What happened? :eek:

Schools are often supposed to allow students to make decisions autonomously, but in the episode, we see Mr. Gideon tell Jo to "find another story", so it seems as though the instructor has some measure of control over what is printed at Eastland.



Oh my goodness! What happened? :eek:

I was the sports editor of the university newspaper. We got this anonymous letter that said that one of our female coaches was morally unfit to serve her position. He enclosed a couple of Polaroids of this coach sitting on a bed in her underwear, nothing less. I conferred with the other editors and we decided unanimously to toss the letter and photos. The photos were not salacious in any ways. It didn't involve any of her players. She coached young women, not school girls. It was obvious that this was from someone bitter about a breakup and that it was a consenting adult relationship. Since the athletic director (her boss) was a hard core born again Christian, we thought it was best that he didn't know about this.

I always thought this would have been a good Facts of Life episode where Cindy, working for the school newspaper, would get a letter like this and it was one of her coaches. She would have to decide how to handle this.

Yeah, Jo really screwed up there, big time. Her biggest mistake in her entire school career.

It was very well-written though, in the "fact" that here we have one of our girls destroying a teacher's career, his way of making money so he can live, and yet we don't hate her for it.

Jo destroyed that poor man's life with her total incompetence. He did not deserve that at all! How could she live with herself? I really disliked her in that episode.

I was the sports editor of the university newspaper. We got this anonymous letter that said that one of our female coaches

A female coach?? Wow :eek:


I always thought this would have been a good Facts of Life episode where Cindy, working for the school newspaper, would get a letter like this and it was one of her coaches. She would have to decide how to handle this.

I was thinking about Cindy when I read your post too!

Jo destroyed that poor man's life with her total incompetence. He did not deserve that at all! How could she live with herself? I really disliked her in that episode.

She comes off more human here as opposed to "All or Nothing" and "The Rich Aren't Different". I do not like what Jo becomes in those episodes.

But it is interesting to hear from someone who really did dislike her "Front Page".

Jo destroyed that poor man's life with her total incompetence. He did not deserve that at all! How could she live with herself? I really disliked her in that episode.

And the fact that he was so nice to her after the fact made her feel even worse:lol:

She comes off more human here as opposed to "All or Nothing" and "The Rich Aren't Different". I do not like what Jo becomes in those episodes.

But it is interesting to hear from someone who really did dislike her "Front Page".

OMG, she was such a giant jackass in "All or Nothing." And totally thoughtless in "The Rich Aren't Different."

That’s what Sue Ann says, Jo was ballsy to print an article about a teacher. She wouldn’t have done it.

I was the sports editor of the university newspaper. We got this anonymous letter that said that one of our female coaches was morally unfit to serve her position. He enclosed a couple of Polaroids of this coach sitting on a bed in her underwear, nothing less. I conferred with the other editors and we decided unanimously to toss the letter and photos. The photos were not salacious in any ways. It didn't involve any of her players. She coached young women, not school girls. It was obvious that this was from someone bitter about a breakup and that it was a consenting adult relationship. Since the athletic director (her boss) was a hard core born again Christian, we thought it was best that he didn't know about this.

I always thought this would have been a good Facts of Life episode where Cindy, working for the school newspaper, would get a letter like this and it was one of her coaches. She would have to decide how to handle this.

Thanks for explaining. I'm glad the photos weren't lewd.

I can see a Cindy episode revolve around this plot idea.

OMG, she was such a giant jackass in "All or Nothing." And totally thoughtless in "The Rich Aren't Different."

Yes, definitely.

Jo destroyed that poor man's life with her total incompetence. He did not deserve that at all! How could she live with herself? I really disliked her in that episode.

He said he would return to Boston to work in journalism again. His teaching career was over, but to be honest, he was a bad teacher. Good teachers don't bully their students.

We see his teaching style in the first scene where he chews out Jo over a piece she worked hard on. A good teacher would say something like this: "Jo, I admire your effort, but you missed some key details here. You'll need to update the article." He could have told her to simply rework the piece.

As for the article on the cocaine raid, that wasn't totally Jo's fault, IMO. She called the police station to confirm what happened. They didn't her that Gideon had been released one hour after the arrest without charges. That's on them, not her.

He said he would return to Boston to work in journalism again. His teaching career was over, but to be honest, he was a bad teacher. Good teachers don't bully their students.

We see his teaching style in the first scene where he chews out Jo over a piece she worked hard on. A good teacher would say something like this: "Jo, I admire your effort, but you missed some key details here. You'll need to update the article." He could have told her to simply rework the piece.

As for the article on the cocaine raid, that wasn't totally Jo's fault, IMO. She called the police station to confirm what happened. They didn't her that Gideon had been released one hour after the arrest without charges. That's on them, not her.

Welcome, PD!

Yes, Mr. Gideon was NOT a great teacher. But in a school where the headmasters keep disappearing without explanation, and most of the faculty apparently last only a semester, what do you expect?

Although Mr. Gideon should have treated Jo as a student learner, and never pushed her so hard, it's hard to say that the result would have been much different, had he been kind. After all, Gale was also very kind to Jo, even treating her as a friend, and Jo didn't treat her well, either: she jumped in with her mouth, again, without knowing all the facts.

t's so much better written than, say, "The Rich Aren't Different", when, by the end, I want to strangle Jo. :lol:I wanted to strangle her in the "Just My Bill" episode. She was horrible!

I wanted to strangle her in the "Just My Bill" episode. She was horrible!

OMG, yes! :mad::mad::mad::mad:

Again, Natalie and JO was supposed to do a story on a teacher from another school:lol:

As for the article on the cocaine raid, that wasn't totally Jo's fault, IMO. She called the police station to confirm what happened. They didn't her that Gideon had been released one hour after the arrest without charges. That's on them, not her.

Jo didn't ask the right questions. She wasn't probing at all. That's on HER, not them.

Mr. Gideon should have taught at the university level. You teach differently in a secondary school.

Mr. Gideon should have taught at the university level. You teach differently in a secondary school.

Even at the university level, I wouldn't teach that way. He just was too harsh. "You check, then you double-check. Then you check again!"

As for the article on the cocaine raid, that wasn't totally Jo's fault, IMO. She called the police station to confirm what happened. They didn't her that Gideon had been released one hour after the arrest without charges. That's on them, not her.

But maybe the police knew. Jo didn't ask if he had been released. It sounded like she just asked if he was there, then once she got the info, she said thanks and hung up. Someone did know Mr. Gideon was released one hour later (presumably the same police) because Mrs. Garrett found out. Older and wiser, she knew what questions to ask.

But maybe the police knew. Jo didn't ask if he had been released. It sounded like she just asked if he was there, then once she got the info, she said thanks and hung up. Someone did know Mr. Gideon was released one hour later (presumably the same police) because Mrs. Garrett found out. Older and wiser, she knew what questions to ask.

That's what I said. It was completely Jo's fault for not asking the WHOLE story. She did not ask informative, probing questions. That's not the police's fault. They were honest. They answered Jo's questions truthfully. They were not being deceptive. Why would they? It's not their fault that Jo was an incompetent dumbass who was out to sabotage her teacher. The poster who thinks it was the police's fault is dreadfully mistaken.

That's what I said. It was completely Jo's fault for not asking the WHOLE story. She did not ask informative, probing questions. That's not the police's fault. They were honest. They answered Jo's questions truthfully. They were not being deceptive. Why would they? It's not their fault that Jo was an incompetent dumbass who was out to sabotage her teacher. The poster who thinks it was the police's fault is dreadfully mistaken.

The police would have been in a position to know and could have told her anyway. We don't even have a scene of dialogue where they tell her anything. All we see is Jo hanging up the phone after talking to them. I just think it wasn't completely Jo's fault. After all, she isn't a professional reporter. She's a teenager who didn't have a good instructor.

Also? We know at the end that Gideon will simply be returning to journalism. His teaching career may be over, but he himself will be fine.

The police would have been in a position to know and could have told her anyway. We don't even have a scene of dialogue where they tell her anything. All we see is Jo hanging up the phone after talking to them. I just think it wasn't completely Jo's fault. After all, she isn't a professional reporter. She's a teenager who didn't have a good instructor.

Also? We know at the end that Gideon will simply be returning to journalism. His teaching career may be over, but he himself will be fine.

Well, Professor Gideon's teaching career was pretty much behind him. He continued as a reporter (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094701/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_77) for a while, but when that didn't pay the bills, he became a cop (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097474/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_74), his "drug bust" apparently forgiven. It wouldn't be until 2010 that he would return to teaching (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1683269/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_5). :lol:

The police would have been in a position to know and could have told her anyway. We don't even have a scene of dialogue where they tell her anything. All we see is Jo hanging up the phone after talking to them. I just think it wasn't completely Jo's fault. After all, she isn't a professional reporter. She's a teenager who didn't have a good instructor.

But she didn't check, and re-check, and check again, which does make that her fault. Mrs. Garrett knew the right questions to ask.

I see Jo on the phone being like, "He was at that pahty?? Great! Bye!" and immediately slamming down the phone and furiously typing away.

But she didn't check, and re-check, and check again, which does make that her fault. Mrs. Garrett knew the right questions to ask.

I see Jo on the phone being like, "He was at that pahty?? Great! Bye!" and immediately slamming down the phone and furiously typing away.

Not to mention that Natalie the Editor got too easily bullied by Jo's verbal rants to put in the story against her own better judgment. Truly, Natalie should have enlisted Blair's help to have gotten Jo to back off instead of caving in. Her failure to do so resulted in not just the paper running a story loaded with half-truths and lies by omission but also the teacher getting fired (and, herself and Jo getting canned from the paper).

Not to mention that Natalie the Editor got too easily bullied by Jo's verbal rants to put in the story against her own better judgment. Truly, Natalie should have enlisted Blair's help to have gotten Jo to back off instead of caving in. Her failure to do so resulted in not just the paper running a story loaded with half-truths and lies by omission but also the teacher getting fired (and, herself and Jo getting canned from the paper).

Great point. Or even if not Blair, Mrs. Garrett! She did go to Mrs. Garrett, but after the fact (?!).

Where was the faculty advisor to this paper? They are suppose to clear the stories that get published. No way would anyone allow a 15 year old to publish a story on their own.

Where was the faculty advisor to this paper? They are suppose to clear the stories that get published. No way would anyone allow a 15 year old to publish a story on their own.

I believe the faculty advisor was Mr. Gideon himself. That's why he was able to clear Blair's stupid "White House china pattern" story, but denied Jo's "faculty lounge" story.

But often, faculty advisors for journalism have a limited say about what can be published, due to freedom of the press. At least, that's how it is in the US.

I believe the faculty advisor was Mr. Gideon himself. That's why he was able to clear Blair's stupid "White House china pattern" story, but denied Jo's "faculty lounge" story.

Those were classroom essays though, not newspaper stories.


But often, faculty advisors for journalism have a limited say about what can be published, due to freedom of the press. At least, that's how it is in the US.

Maybe that was the one week the advisor was on vacation. :lol:

Those were classroom essays though, not newspaper stories.

Those were proposals for news stories.

Those were proposals for news stories.

If you say so. I haven't watched it in ages. :lol: