415 Media Special Report: NBC Bay Area 'Investigative' Reporting About Presentation High School Backfires: Public Turns Against Media to Help All Girls San Jose School

THE SLOPPY and misleading reporting by NBC Bay Area (KNTV) Investigates into allegations of sexual misconduct cases at Presentation High from 20 and 30 years ago has backfired. 

 

When we last visited this story, NBC Investigates Reporter Vicky Nguyen had landed in hot water with NBC brass for reaching out to minors under the age of 18 in phone calls, texts and online messages, to see if she “could learn something” about the allegations. It would be hard to learn anything from current students since the claims were made from 20 and 30 years ago. Nevertheless, Nguyen took it upon herself to unethically contact minors without their parents knowledge.

 

Of course, this effort landed no interview and no information. Instead, it backfired on Nguyen.  Now it looks as if the entire effort to tar and feather the administrators at PHS has not only backfired on NBC Bay Area and the Mercury News (which also engaged in biased reporting against PHS), but it has turned into a nuclear disaster for NBC, Vicky Nguyen and the Mercury News.  

 

Instead of getting people all riled up at PHS, the news reporting has been so one-sided, sloppy, biased and unfair that Presentation alums, parents, students, and community members have turned out in droves to support the school with major donations and financial aid.

Read this news release from PHS. It shows that when the media is openly biased, the public takes notice and votes with its wallets:

San Jose—Officials at the all-girls Presentation High School today announced the school broke all records in its annual crowd funding drive this week. 

“The support for Pres has never been stronger,” said Kristin Cooke Schneider, the school’s Alumnae Director. “Pres alums, past and current parents, past and current teachers, and community members have a positive shared experience and they sent that message loud and clear.”

Pres raised $116,000 in its crowdfunding campaign this week, an increase of 97% over last year’s total of $59,000.  The money will be used to help provide scholarships and support other student programs.

Schneider said an effort backfired by “Make Pres Safe,” a group of alums who are claiming the school failed to properly report sexual misconduct cases that date back 30 years ago.

“We’ve never seen a response like this,” Schneider said. “Make Pres Safe” sent out letters and contacted alums and other donors to urge them to withhold donations, but just the opposite occurred.”

Schneider said a large number of the PHS alums called and wrote to say they were disturbed by misleading claims and questionable accusation’s that are being made by a personal injury attorney who represents a couple of alums. Donors reported feeling harassed by the group’s letters, many of which were sent to their home address. Presentation is unclear how the addresses were obtained.

Schneider said the “Make Pres Safe” letter writing campaign infuriated people who felt their privacy was invaded and that they were being harassed and bullied into withdrawing their support from school.” 

“It’s nice to see these misleading claims not only haven’t made a dent in our reputation, they have encouraged people to stand up and fight the falsehoods by voting their consciences with their wallets,” said Schneider