College Newspaper Bookends

I was reviewing our student newspaper here at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, and I was struck by the front and back pages of the paper. The Headline read: SGA chair expelled in child porn controversy, on the back was a quarter page ad for the non-partisan get out the vote drive group Votergasm.org. I find humor in the two being bookends for our school paper.

The article was humorous by itself. A left leaning coworker and I found a common funnybone ignited in reading the story. But the punchline was delivered on the back page.

For those interested in the front page story you can read that below for those interested in Votergasm.org click on the ad to the right.

The front-page story covered Michael Bishop, Student Government Association finance chair, who was convicted of possession of child pornography in 2002 and broke probation twice in 2003.

When Michael Bishop, 34, came to UNCG he already had an associate's degree from an area tech school and a 4-year stint in the Marine Corps, including service in the first Gulf War, for which he earned nine ribbons and seven medals. He also had a conviction for possessing child pornography.

In 2002 Bishop plead guilty to three counts of child pornography - consolidated from 20 - for pictures of young boys found on his home computer. He was sentenced to 30 months probation and, less than a year later, applied to UNCG. After a special admissions process it was determined that he was not a threat - as long as he obeyed the conditions of his probation.

Bishop quickly became part of the university community - joining the Campus Activities Board, the Student Government Association and PRIDE, UNCG's gay and lesbian organization . He rose to prominence in student groups, becoming PRIDE's business manager and, this year, heading the SGA's finance committee. But all of that came to an end last week when it was revealed Bishop had repeatedly broken his probation - through the possession of adult pornography and a large knife, and for breaking his court mandated curfew.

The violations were unveiled on the private Web site of members of the College Republicans, where his mug shot and criminal record were published. An accompanying story, titled "Convicted Sex Offender and OSL Employee Violates Parole, Gains Coveted Student Leadership Position" described the two year old charges against Bishop in graphic detail.

Following the story the SGA began impeachment proceedings against Bishop. The next day he was expelled following a Student Conduct hearing and University officials quickly turned out a statement....Read on