OK to report "mistakes"?

Last week was a tough one.

When we got word a star basketball player from a local team had been arrested (and subsequently benched) before a key tournament game, we knew the story had to be written. The coach made a tough (correct) decision, and we -- the regional paper -- could tell the story more fairly to the school, the player and the readers than the big ones, who hadn't yet found out about the incident.

Here's what came out of it, and here's a subsequent editorial.

Was reporting it the right thing to do? We think so; there were certainly enough meetings to try to decide. With luck, it's a lesson to schools and coaches everywhere -- not talking to the media only gives us police reports to work with, and police reports don't make for "positive" stories. If something happens, it's best to be honest and up-front. That way, both sides of the story come out as early as possible, which is best for all involved.