A Publicity Nightmare
A few short weeks ago, an offensive letter – mistakenly replaced for a permission letter to the parents of Litchfield Elementary School students – found its way into second graders’ backpacks and into their parents’ hands. Part of the letter reads something like this: “If your child is either too lazy or too stupid…” I need not continue because I think you get the point that it is not a permission letter.
So how is this qualified as a crisis? It diminished the credibility and integrity of the school, the principal and the staff. Not to mention how it hurt the morale of the students.
It was meant as a joke among frustrated peers, which occurs frequently and across many industries, but this joke got out and parents are outraged and the media is having a field day. That embarrassing letter is forever housed on AZCentral.com for all to see and reread.
By the immediate actions of the principal, it is questionable whether or not a crisis communications strategy was in place. He did what he could to rectify the situation. When he realized the wrong letter had been sent out, he personally called parents and said that a “friend” had sent them the letter and allegedly asked teachers to lie to parents on the origins of the letter.
Now for a minute, let’s say an offensive letter wasn’t sent out and instead a staff member was involved in an altercation or something happened on campus. A general crisis plan is needed for all the possibilities that can take place. As the saying goes, prevention is the best medicine. But crises are likely to happen. The key is to have a plan in place.
How would you have handled this crisis?
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