Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier, IA
06-21-07
Party photos put underage candidate on the defensive
By ANDREW WIND, Courier Staff Writer
WATERLOO --- The 14 pictures mostly show scenes from parties, some where
beer is present.
People are holding cans or hoisting plastic cups commonly used at keg parties. A
number of the images are posed, full of smiling friends with drinks in their hands.
Some of those photographed, though, are younger than 21 years old, the legal
age to buy and drink alcohol in Iowa. And prominently featured in every picture is
Josh Wilson, a 19-year-old candidate for an at-large seat on the Waterloo
Schools' Board of Education.
The Courier obtained the unsolicited pictures last month after they were
downloaded from Wilson's page on Facebook, a social networking Web site.
Within days, a reporter was given access to the page and confirmed most of the
photos were posted there.
Wilson acknowledged attending the parties since starting college.
"I'm totally honest with you," the Hawkeye Community College student said. "I
attend underage parties, and I think anybody knows there's underage drinking in
college."
However, he denied being among those drinking alcohol at the gatherings.
"Any one of my friends can tell you I'm one of the odd college students that
doesn't drink," Wilson said. "I wouldn't call myself a drinker by any means."
But Matthew Potoski, an assistant professor of political science at Iowa
State University, said that assertion may not erase concerns for all voters.
"In general it's probably not a good political strategy to be seen in the presence
of people who are blatantly breaking the law," said Potoski, who has studied
politics at the local level. "I don't know if that will go over well with his
constituents. Voters in general tend not to react well to that."
Grant Erwin, who was the University of Northern Iowa's student body president
during the 2006-07 school year, provided another perspective.
"One thing I'd say to that is he's in college, and what do you expect a person to
do? Attend no social events where there's drinking?" Erwin said. "At the same
time, he needs to realize that he'll be scrutinized more than ever before."
No isolation
Wilson transferred to HCC after starting the year at Kirkwood Community College
in Cedar Rapids. He began campaigning this spring to replace retiring board
member Don Hanson in the Sept. 11 election. One other candidate, Mike Young,
has also announced plans to run for the position, which is elected by all district
voters. The filing period for open board seats runs from July 9 to Aug. 2.
None of the pictures show Wilson drinking anything that can be definitively
identified as alcohol. Cans of beer appear in five of the pictures on tables or in
the hands of other people. Beer is also visible in a pitcher in another photo.
Wilson said he is known for bringing bottles of sparkling juice to parties. The
bottle, glass or plastic cup he is holding in seven of the photos always contains a
nonalcoholic drink, he said.
In fact, Wilson insists he can't drink because alcohol would interfere with the
medication, Paxil, which he has used since his freshman year at West High
School in Waterloo.
"I take it for anxiety," he said. "When I was at West at first I had trouble adjusting
from middle school."
He qualified the extent of his drinking.
"I mean, obviously I've had alcohol before with maybe champagne at New Year's
with my family," Wilson said.
Wilson said he attends the parties "so I can be with my friends and socialize. I'm
not going to make them not drink to be my friends."
Most of the parties pictured were hosted by University of Northern Iowa students.
Two of the photos were from a party at a University of Iowa fraternity, Wilson
said.
"I guess I'm not going to isolate myself from the world," he said. "To my
knowledge, being there isn't illegal for me if I'm not doing it."
A lieutenant with the Cedar Falls police department confirmed a nondrinker at an
underage party would not be cited. Generally, those hosting a party when police
receive noise complaints are the ones assigned court appearances and fined. If
police respond to a noisy party that spills into the yard, officers may cite
underage people they find holding alcohol.
Wilson emphasized being at such gatherings does not indicate approval of
friends' drinking habits.
"I've driven friends home from parties a lot so they wouldn't drive while drinking,"
he said.
He called the problem of people under 21 buying alcohol "a huge issue that
needs to be addressed." Wilson also suggested his firsthand knowledge could be
helpful in doing that as a school board member.
Wilson also reports aiding police in dealing with the problem as a high school
student. He said he participated in a Waterloo police sting operation to catch
clerks at stores selling alcohol to minors. A police official would not confirm if
Wilson served in that role, noting such a revelation could stop students from
participating in the future.
"You know, obviously, I can't change other kids if they want to drink underage in
college," Wilson said. "Clearly, I'm an example that you don't have to."
Observers said his status as a candidate and potential officer-holder means
higher expectations, though.
"The most important thing that I realized going in is you're always in the public
eye. Your past is always in the public eye," Erwin said.
He spent three years in UNI's student government before being elected
president.
"People look to that person as a leader, whatever (the position) is," Erwin added.
"I always kept in mind there's a lot of people in college that don't drink and don't
smoke. You don't necessarily want to be associated with people that drink and
smoke all the time."
Potoski noted the issue of image, however.
"If another politician were to be found in a brothel enjoying a cup of coffee or
among drug dealers even though he was clean and sober, I think most voters
would take that into account when they're evaluating candidates," Potoski said.
Wilson suggested a motive beyond the parties for opposition to his bid for the
school board.
"I guess somebody's worried that I am going to be elected to office," Wilson said.
As a recent district student, Wilson said he is "very much in touch with the
schools" and the problems there. He has already voiced concern about
conditions of some buildings. He also said he believes addressing that and other
issues as a board member will cause debate some people don't want to see.
Caught off guard
Wilson never thought the pictures --- some of which he says were posted without
his knowledge on the Facebook site by friends --- would be seen beyond that
circle.
Facebook is made up of many separate networks organized around distinctions
like schools, companies and regions. Access is restricted, and individual sites are
not intended to be available to those outside of a network.
After the Courier ran a profile of Wilson on April 30, one reader posted comments
on the newspaper's Web site alleging the teenager's Facebook page included
photos of him at parties with underage drinking. Other readers took issue with the
negative comments. The Courier removed the initial comments because they
could not be substantiated.
The downloaded photos were soon offered to the Courier along with access to
Wilson's Facebook site. A reporter saw most of the pictures there initially. Only a
few remained on the site when the Courier questioned Wilson earlier this month
about the set of photos the newspaper received.
"Obviously, this has caught us off guard," Wilson said.
Potoski, though, thought otherwise.
"I find it stunning that he'd be surprised that something posted on the Internet
would be made public," Potoski said. "Posting it on the Internet and putting it on
Facebook is making it public."
Though Facebook is intended to be restricted to those within a particular
network, people can provide access to others. Network members can also post
items on a friend's site, meaning content can't always be controlled. In addition,
network members can download materials from a site, bringing the items into a
realm where they can be freely viewed by others.
"I think there are a lot of college students that don't realize the significance of
what they put on there," Erwin said.
He noted Facebook content also has implications for students seeking a job
when employers gain access.
"If I was an employer, I would look on Facebook and see if the person is there
and see what else I could find out," Erwin said. "If you have inappropriate stuff on
there --- I'm sure it's happened before and I'm sure it'll happen again --- it will
impact the decision."
Potoski said candidates even at the local level should not be surprised to find
matters they consider private being made public.
"Part of the price of public office is you lose some privacy," he said.
Potoski added the "prudent" approach for an aspiring school board member
"would be not to attend the parties in the first place."
Potoski believes the episode demonstrates a healthy democracy in action.
"Maybe in a positive sense, this is a sign that people take this office seriously,"
he said.
"Local politics is important and running for office is important. I think they should
take this process seriously."
Contact Andrew Wind at (319) 291-1507 or andrew.wind@wcfcourier.com.