Journalism majors:
The following article was written by a former colleague of mine at the Dayton
Daily News who now writes for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It is a good
reminder to check and re-check your sources. Linda Crider

Forgetting lesson of Journalism 101

Friday, March 19, 1999
By AFI-ODELIA SCRUGGS
THE PLAIN DEALER

There's a saying that journalists use: "If your mother says she loves you,
check it out."
It's supposed to protect journalists by reminding us not to take people at
their word, especially when the folks seem absolutely trustworthy.

There are times, though, when the admonition is forgotten.

And that's why I have written this column.

About a week ago, I wrote a flattering profile of Yolanda Humphrey. She was,
to all appearances, a woman who had turned her life around. Years after
dropping out of high school, she recognized the value of the education she had
rejected. She enrolled in night school and began to work on her General
Education Development, or GED, certificate. She wanted her graduation picture
to hang on the wall along with her mother's and daughter's.

In the course of the column, Humphrey described how her limited reading
ability had hindered her work as a licensed practical nurse at University
Hospitals. She admitted to having someone take the licensing test for her,
although she confessed and took the test herself later.
She also claimed to have tricked colleagues into reading materials for her
during the 11 years she worked at the hospital.

"I used people," she said.

At least, that much was true.

Information from the hospital shows that Humphrey hasn't worked at University
Hospitals for five years. She was terminated in 1994, after eight months on
the job, when she was accused of stealing from patients.

Humphrey was later convicted of theft. Her probation ended on March 18, 1998.
She is not a nurse, but a nurse's aide with a certificate from the Ohio
Department of Health.
Humphrey told me a story and I fell for it - because I didn't check her out.

I got Humphrey's name from the Adult Basic and Literacy Education program run
by the Cleveland Heights-University Heights school system.

I called the program requesting adult students willing to talk about their
transition from functional illiteracy to literacy. I asked for articulate
people who wouldn't mind opening their lives to a journalist - and eventually
to the public.

The program gave me three names. I called them all, and reached Humphrey.

If I had met Humphrey, say, on the street, I wouldn't have left anything to
chance. I would have confirmed everything she told me.

Because I got her name from a community organization, I figured that she was
as reputable as the folks who brought us together. So I didn't call the
hospital to verify her employment.

After the questions started coming, I contacted Humphrey and sat down with
her. She told me she had been fired from the hospital after the column
appeared, and had been ordered to a disciplinary hearing concerning her
certificate.

She showed me an employee badge that seemed to come from an agency affiliated
with University Hospitals, and gave me the name of her supervisor who,
Humphrey claimed, fired her.
I haven't been able to substantiate any of it.

When I reached Humphrey, she said she was on her way to the disciplinary
hearing. She didn't say anything when I told her what I had uncovered.

The obvious question is why?

Why did Humphrey bother to talk to me, knowing the secrets she had hidden? Was
it the lure of seeing her name in the paper?

Well, if she wanted notoriety, she has gotten it.

Twice.

Hopefully, though, her actions will not reflect on other students, teachers
and administrators in the program she attended.

Hopefully, Humphrey has learned her lesson.

I know I have learned mine.