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CBS TO OFFER TOPICAL "WITHOUT A TRACE" EPISODE TO

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

http://kyw.com/press/local_story_072123421.html

NEW YORK (CBS) In response to requests from nearly 250 educators immediately following the February 12 “Wannabe” episode of WITHOUT A TRACE — which deals with bullying among children and its disturbing repercussions for a missing boy — CBS will make VHS copies available to them by request.

After the broadcast, teachers and education professionals contacted CBS seeking to obtain a copy of “Wannabe” to use as an instructional tool in order to promote discussions and solutions regarding the very real, disturbing issues addressed in the episode. CBS agreed that it would be a valuable public service to fulfill these requests, and will do so free of charge.

The plot of WITHOUT A TRACE’s “Wannabe” episode involves a missing, awkward 12-year-old boy who has been ridiculed and brutalized by his classmates and recently felt compelled to say cruel things to an equally unpopular female classmate to try to curry favor with the “cool” crowd. As the episode’s plot unravels, it’s clear that the teachers and parents of the aggressors and the taunted have no idea how vicious the children are being to one another. At the end of the episode, the traumatized boy attempts suicide, but he is ultimately located and saved by the lead characters of the series.

Submitted by Cathryn on Wed, 04/07/2004 - 6:49 PM

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Thanks for posting that, Dad. My mother told me about that episode back in February, and how she had wished that I had seen it. Also, that there was an article in the USA Today about all the phone calls that came after the show aired, something like over 400 in three minutes. I posted it somewhere on here, I think it was the ADHD one.

Would love to get my hands on a copy of it for our school…

Submitted by Cathryn on Wed, 04/07/2004 - 7:29 PM

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Dad,

Here’s what I received back from Mr. Woodward when I emailed him.

“Thanks for your interest in the recent episode of WITHOUT A TRACE, entitled “Wannabe.” To obtain a copy, please have your school principal fill out the enclosed release (substituting the red font with the correct information) and return it to CBS with a formal request from the principal on school letterhead.

The release and the formal request can be sent to:

JEFF WOODWARD

CBS MEDIA RELATIONS

7800 BEVERLY BLVD.

ROOM 8

LA, CA 90036”

Since I am not a teacher, I cannot get a copy of it. And FAT CHANCE my school principal will order it. But thank you anyway.

Submitted by Dad on Thu, 04/08/2004 - 7:58 AM

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Do not give up yet ;)

Are you a memeber of a parent’s support group? If so, perhaps you can use your group to get one of the more progressive princes in your district to get it in. Another thought would be to contact the district and see if they can get it in. Maybe there is a small private school, perhaps Catholic or Christian which would like to receive it as well, and you can watch it thru them.

Submitted by Cathryn on Thu, 04/08/2004 - 3:21 PM

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Hi Dad,

Well, the only parent support group I’m currently a member of is this one. I am a member of the PTO at my daughters’ school, but those mommies are amongst the group who want to sweep the bullying issue under the rug (some of them are the parents of the “offenders”, don’t you know…). We meet once a month, and perhaps I will try to bring it up, but I can envision the scenario now— we will be able to hear a pin drop after I speak. And it is extremely doubtful our principal will order this video, as she would rather pretend that my daughter is the problem, not her classmates and the school itself.

I don’t know if you’ve read any of my posts, but I’ve been having a problem with my daughter’s school. I had a meeting with the principal. I came to the meeting with a manilla envelope stuffed with papers I printed out from the internet regarding school bullying, and 2 pamphlets from the Dept. of Education. She didn’t want any of it. I really hate to be so pessimistic, but I cannot see her ordering this video.

I really did want to view that episode, because even my mother thought I should see it. It originally aired on February 12th, and I’m not a regular watcher of that show. She says she will let me know if/when they show the repeat.

Call me clueless, but I don’t think I know any of the more “progressive princes” in my district, or even who they are. Any tips for me? ;)

Submitted by Sue on Thu, 04/08/2004 - 4:28 PM

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OFten groups liek that (not always, though) will be willing to do something like get a video because they don’t actually have to *do* anything and it makes them feel like “well, some stupid moms were complainingabout bullying, so we’ve done our part and ordered the video at the incredible expense of asking the principal to write a letter” — ‘cause then if anybody asks them, they *are* sensitive, caring fooks… yea, right…

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