pag94 . daily nebraskan friday. January 25. 1980
u
Nebraskans have once again had
courtroom doors slammed in their
faces.
The case in Seward County,
which deals with truancy charges
against a Milford juvenile, was closed
to the public last week without any
of the attorneys asking for the court
room closure.
While juvenile cases in many states
are protected from the scrutiny of
the public and news media, one has
to question the manner in which
Seward County Judge Robert Cattle
handled the case.
After arguments presented by.
attorneys in open session, Cattle
used his judicial power to exclude
the public and the news media.
What is even more frightening is
the fact that he refused to even per
mit Lincoln attorney Alan Peterson
to argue against the court closure.
As the age-old battle between
free press and fair trial continues to
claim Nebraska as one of its battle
fields, it is hoped some kind of clear
decision can be made to ensure equal
treatment to both sides. .
But a clear decision hinges upon
the Supreme Court's ability to
recognize the importance of the First
Amendment and the implications the
Bill of Rights has on the American
system.
Allow the First Amendment to be
violated too often for the sake of
Sixth Amendment rights, and it may
have serious implications on the in
tentions of our forefathers.
Serious questions must be answer
ed before a courtroom is closed.
Does pretrial press actually influence
a jury? Are there alternative means
of ensuring a fair trial? Does allow
ing a courtroom to be closed lessen a
jury's responsibility to the public
and does the public have a right to
attend courtroom proceedings?
It is hoped that the Supreme
Court will answer these questions
clearly in a case now before them.
Unfortunately, an earlier test at
North Platte concerning closing the
Simants trial failed to provide the
court system with stringent enough
guidelines to settle the issue decisive
ly The Supreme Court heeds to
consider carefully closed courtrooms
in this country and give us some
workable guidelines from which the
press and judiciary can work.
Until then, it is hoped that judges
in this state and others will concern
themselves with all sides of the issue
and not arbitrarily close their court
rooms without hearing the cry of the
public and news media.
Big Eight
life inspires columnist
By Kevin Field
"That's life in the Big Eight."
'( That is a pretty common statement heard around
campus. It's often given in response to someone who has
been relating an experience they have had with UNL
usually an unpleasant one.
bis eight
And there is a line that says something about life being
rough in the Big Eight. I don't know if that one refers
to the dominance of Big Eight football teams or if it is a
response to the weather typical of this part of the
country.
Curiosity about those two statements as well as interest
in other Big Eight Schools prompted this column.
While traveling through Custer County, Oklahoma,
take care not to let the local authorities catch you drink
ing a beer and dancing at the same time.
It seems as if several hundred students from South
western Oklahoma State University have dared the author
ities to enforce a 1966 attorney general's opinion restrict
ing dancing at establishments selling beer.
' They did so by dancing in a bar and carrying signs read
ing, "Dance at your own risk." The local police decided to
enforce the statute.
Economic woes are common throughout the Big Eight.
Everyone (administrator and regents) wants to increase
tuition or housing costs, always citing inflation as the
main reason. '
The University of Kansas is seeking a 9.5 percent in
crease in low-rent housing rates despite being in the black.
But that is less than a 13 per cent inflation rate, says
Jordan Haines, regent chairman.
, Kanssi also Is contemplating raising the state's drinking
age from 19 to 21. I do not think the 19- and 20-year-olds
have much to worry about, though. It appears the
proposed bill never will get introduced.
The Kansas Legislature's most controversial issue so far
this session has been the , fate of 225 parking spaces
surrounding the capitol.
KU is also the home of self-professed diplomat Norman
Forer. The associate professor of social welfare is doing
more about the Iranian crisis than just providing lip
service.
Several University of Missouri-Columbia students were
out of luck after returning from their Christmas break.
Many returned to flooded dorm rooms only to learn that
UMC will not cover any personal losses. A broken water
fountain was the culprit.
Also at Columbia, it was determined that campus light
ing could stand improvement, even though it compared
favorably to that of other Big Eight schools. Does that
mean UNL lighting is inadequate?
Dittos G Cte G j37
If Jerry Fairbanks (Jan. 22 Dairy Nebraskan) finds the
' anti-abortion movement "worrisome", then maybe he
ought to consider the question in its historical perspective.
Rather than an Occasional wave that sweeps over seg
ments of American society in 20-year cycles", the
abortion question represents the current low point in the
declining respect for all forms of life.
The anti-abortion movement encourages not a "return
to the Good Ole Days" or the creation of a "Great New
Society", but rather the preservation and edification of
that which is sacred to all: the dignity of life. If Mr. Fair
banks still considers this cause philosophical and dogma
tic, then I suggest he observe that the pro-abortion
position is a product of the decade so appropriately called
the Me generation.
Steve Dofing
Graduate student in Agronomy
Misrepresentation'
I found your article on Boys Town to be a complete
misrepresentation of the facility and its , treatment
programs. Boys Town was shown in an unfavorable
manner by only . presenting the opinions of those not
satisfied with the Teaching Family Model, The fact that
the opinions cited were mainly from disgruntled former
employees lends little credibility to the article. With only
minor research it would have been easily ascertained that
the program itself is not new; only its introduction to
Boys Town. The youths who reside there are thus not the
guinea pigs depicted in your article. The rationale of the
Teaching Family Program is that youths get into trouble
because of a lack of adequate socialization by their
family. The surrogate Teaching Family Parents are to re
socialize the youths so that they can cope with the
problems of living in modern society. This includes
smiling for points when being introduced to others. The
points are to reinforce the behavior so that it will con
tinue once the .youth is returned to the community.
Facilities are being shut down and employees faded out
because each cottage is self-sufficient and does not require
- other assistance. The population has dropped because the
Teaching Parents must provide intense interaction with
each youth and this can only be done with eight to ten,
youths per set of parents. This type of program will not
be effective for so called "hard core" juveniles so a screen
ing process is involved. The real question here is whether
it is better to babysit a thousand boys or to restructure
the lives of a few hundred. 1 find the latter to be a better
alternative.
Jeff C, Miller
Senior, criminal justice
Student control recommended for DN
In the lead editorial of last Friday, the quotation from
THpmas Jefferson concerning a free press was a nice idea,
but it was beside the point. The Editor argues that I, as an
ASUN senator, reflect the current mentality of govern
ment in the wake of Watergate, in insisting upon "more
control" of the press, which locally means the Daily Ne
braskan. He writes, "UNL has always enjoyed a free student
press edited, operated and controlled by students." I agree
with the First Amendment to the Constitution and even
the state guidelines respecting the conduct of the press.
Hie point is not whether the Daily Nebraskan should be
controlled or more controlled, but rather who has con
trol. A short review of events may help.
Previous to January 1972, the fact that there was no
paternal guidance from the administration "left the staffs
?w. . Jftr u nspapcnirilh the total responsibility for
T rL?u ldcI1?ei' l91P ance that teethe Public
u T at.ihe ,rdcr of the Rcents' haJ akcn
upon itself to hire the editor and business manager and
now the ombudsman of the Daily Nebraskan. "As
publishers they would have the right to assure themselves
that candidates agreed with the guidelines and planned to
operate them.-Guidelines, 1977) The editor, carefully
S! m . the osition hire toe remaining staff.
SS ii1 ftn "overaU jgmcnt" the editor
TLl k C5,"8 eth,c.aUy' y can be rebuked, or
dismissed by the committee. Continued on 5
