Description:
Meg Vaillancourt reports that The Boston Herald newspaper has accused Laval Wilson (Superintendent, Boston Public Schools) of misusing the credit card of the Boston School Department. Vaillancourt notes that Wilson has denied the charges and has demanded a retraction from The Boston Herald. Vaillancourt's report includes footage of Wilson at a press conference with Philip Crowe (attorney for Wilson). Wilson talks about the accusations and denies any wrongdoing. Crowe adds that Wilson may sue The Boston Herald for libel. Vaillancourt notes that Alan Eisner (Editor, The Boston Herald) has refused to print a retraction. Vaillancourt reports that Wilson may have been dropped from consideration for a position with the New York City Public School System because of the Herald article. Vaillancourt adds that Wilson is an "embattled superintendent."
1:00:04: Visual: Footage of Dr. Laval Wilson (Superintendent, Boston Public Schools) at a press conference. Wilson sits at a round table with his lawyer at his side. Wilson says, "That's a blatant lie." Meg Vaillancourt reports that Wilson has adamently denied accusations by The Boston Herald that he has misused a credit card belonging to the Boston School Department. V: Footage of Wilson demanding a front-page retraction of the accusations and an editorial retraction. Shot of a newspaper photo of Wilson. On-screen text details the Herald's accusations against Wilson. Vaillancourt reports that The Boston Herald has accused Wilson of double-billing the city for travel expenses; of taking improper cash advances on the School Department's credit card; of being late in filing expense reports. Vaillancourt notes that the Herald says that Wilson's tardiness in filing expense reports has cost the city $589 in interest charges on the credit card. V: Footage of Wilson saying that the Herald reporter is intentionally misrepresenting the facts. Vaillancourt notes that Wilson admitted to the accrual of interest charges on the credit card due to his tardiness in filing expense reports. Vaillancourt adds that Wilson has denied all of the other charges. V: Shots of Wilson at the press conference. Wilson holds up a notebook for the reporters. Vaillancourt reports that Wilson showed reporters credit card receipts; that Wilson said that he gave those receipts to The Boston Herald to review. Vaillancourt reports that Wilson has accused the Herald of sensationalizing the story. V: Footage of Wilson saying that the story and editorial in the Herald were malicious. Vaillancourt reports that the Herald is standing by its story. V: Shot of reporters in a newsroom. A quote by Alan Eisner (Editor, The Boston Herald) appears on screen in text. Vaillancourt quotes Eisner as saying, "We have no intention of giving Wilson a retraction." Vaillancourt also quotes Eisner as saying, "The city documents we examined show a clear pattern of credit card abuse." Vaillancourt reports that Wilson was in the process of applying for a position with the New York City Public School System when the Herald story was published. V: Shot of Wilson at the press conference. Shot of the Herald article with a headline reading, "State pays for Wilson credit 'abuse'." Vaillancourt quotes sources as saying that Wilson is no longer a finalist for the job in New York. V: Footage of Wilson saying that he intends to find out if the Herald story had a negative impact on his candidacy for the job. Footage of Philip Crowe (attorney for Laval Wilson) saying that Wilson may bring a libel suit against the Herald. Shots of Wilson sitting at a meeting with members of the Boston School Committee in May of 1986; of the audience at the School Committee meeting. Vaillancourt says that it is not clear whether Wilson is innocent or guilty; that the story has created problems for Wilson, who is "an embattled superintendent."
Date Created:
12/22/1987
