From the Editorial Board
The Patriot Talon has learned that a story published on this website contained a fabricated quote. The story was then immediately removed.
The story dealt with the topic of drinking alcohol on college campuses. It included a quote attributed to Gage Henson, a student, in which Henson supposedly spoke about choices he made concerning drinking alcohol.
“I have never said this,” Henson said in contacting the editor of the Talon. “The statement is completely false.”
The Talon has chosen not to repeat the fabricated quote.
The author of the story admitted the quote was fabricated. The author was not a Talon staff member but a student in a reporting class. Sometimes work in reporting classes are published on the website. The author is facing academic consequences for the fabrication and has been barred from contributing to the Talon.
“I am incredibly frustrated by this situation,” Henson said when notifying the Talon about the fabrication. “I work in a youth ministry environment and a professional engineering firm. In such environments where my name is regularly screened, it is incredibly important that I maintain my reputation.”
Karleigh Yancy, the Talon’s editor-in-chief responded to Henson: “Thank you again for letting me know. I always want the Talon and its staff to value integrity and honesty, and this incident does not reflect those values.”
Henson is right. A fabricated quote — a lie — can ruin a reputation.
The truth matters.
Preserving Henson’s reputation matters.
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