Philadelphia Inquirer Wins Public Service Pulitzer Prize For 'Assault On Learning' Series
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Champagne corks are popping at the Philadelphia Inquirer, at word the paper has won journalism's most prestigious honor.
The Inquirer has won the Pulitzer Prize for public service, for its series on violence in Philadelphia schools. It's some good news for a newsroom beleaguered by staff cuts and ownership changes. Education reporter Kristen Graham was among five reporters who worked on the series entitled "Assault on Learning," which illustrated how violence in Philly schools was underreported.
"It really is gratifying. It's a tough time for journalism, for newspapers. And we really feel like the Inquirer does great work every day and this is a chance for the world to see."
It's the 19th Pulitzer in the Inquirer's 183-year history. The Pulitzer for local reporting went to Sara Ganim and the Harrisburg Patriot-News for breaking the Penn State sexual abuse scandal.
