I have worked in Kennebunk for more than a decade, so naturally I was intrigued when I learned that law enforcement officials had allegedly uncovered an apparently thriving prostitution business in town and were preparing to release the names and charges against the alleged sex provider’s customers. My initial reaction, which I announced with some conviction in the car to four people with whom I commute to and from school, was that it served those people right!

Everyone knows there are laws against purchasing and/or selling sex in Maine, I reasoned, and anyone opting to pay for such physical gratification is willfully choosing to violate those statutes. Alleged thieves, drivers pulled over for suspicion of operating under the influence, and those charged with possession of drug paraphernalia get their names published prior to their cases being adjudicated; why should people accused of other crimes be any different?

But then I started listening. When I stridently expressed my opinion to my fellow car poolers, all but one either agreed or said nothing. But the other, a brave soul who I respect both as a colleague and as a person, said she wasn’t so sure that publicly naming those on the alleged prostitute’s “list” was such a good idea.

Shortly after it became known there was a strong possibility the names of the alleged prostitute’s “johns” were going to be made public, the top administrator at the school where I teach called an emergency Friday afternoon faculty meeting. Such events take place after school on the last day of the work week, about as often as Alex Rodriguez gets a standing ovation at Fenway Park. Our principal, a dedicated public servant and an ardent advocate for quality education who has worked in the district for nearly three decades, got us together to alert the full faculty of the possibility that some of the names on “the list” might be getting published, and that we as staff members should be on the lookout for students who might be affected by the announcement, or who were acting differently in its aftermath.

She also shared with us a memo from the superintendent of schools, another passionate advocate for education in general and the children of RSU 21 in particular. In it, he expressed concern over the effect the release of certain information involving the ongoing prostitution case could potentially have on students (and/or their families) in the district. In his memo the superintendent stated, “We’re certainly aware ”¦ there’s a likelihood that there would be some connection to people who are in our schools, and obviously we are most concerned with our students.” He urged all faculty and staff to continue to “use the resources and strategies we have always used to help students.”

A couple of days later, a man who is arguably Maine’s most widely read columnist wrote an opinion piece that was published in the state’s largest Sunday newspaper. In a clear, concise essay he eloquently pointed out that releasing the names of the alleged prostitute’s clientele could potentially hurt a lot of innocent people who neither need nor deserve to be publicly humiliated.

It’s likely several of the “johns” being charged with engaging a prostitute have children in the Kennebunk school system. But none of those people’s children have committed any crimes. Why should they have to suffer for the alleged transgressions of one of their parents? And why should the spouse of such a person suffer for her (or his) partner’s poor choices?

The fallout from the ongoing case against the alleged prostitution business will undoubtedly continue for some time; it’s likely several families in and around Kennebunk have already been negatively impacted by it. But publicly revealing the names of those who took part in these alleged illegal activities would serve no good purpose. On top of that, learning their identities might increase the already ravenous appetite of a distressingly large portion of the public for salacious (and ultimately meaningless) content in their “news.” And there’s little doubt that a perceived rise in public fascination with sordid goings-on would consequently encourage a media horde already all too willing to provide such sensationalism to go out and start digging up more.

Considering the viewpoints of a significant number of other people concerning the ongoing Kennebunk prostitution case helped me see things differently. Releasing the names of those who allegedly patronized an illegal business would accomplish nothing other than further embarrassing the families of some individuals accused of a misdemeanor.

Anyone doubting the power of a few well-chosen phrases to influence the way open-minded individuals react should try listening, reading and thinking more often. My own initial reaction to the Kennebunk prostitution case was both ill-thought and wrong, but it took reasoned, thoughtful words (both spoken and written) from a variety of people to help me realize it.

— Andy Young has made a few poor decisions in his life, but thankfully none of them got him on any widely published lists.