1 second ago 2009-11-08T11:45:23-08:00
Sarah Palin, unhappy with media reports that her daughter Bristol and fiance Levi Johnston — parents of newborn Tripp — are dropouts, is reaching out to the press for clarification.
From the Washington Post (h/t Gawker)
"You need to know that both Levi and Bristol are working their butts off to parent and going to school and working at the same time," the former Republican vice presidential nominee told People magazine in a phone message on New Year's Eve. "They are certainly not high school dropouts."
Palin was also in touch with The Associated Press and the Anchorage Daily News to complain about what she said were erroneous reports that Johnston had dropped out of school. The source of those reports? Possibly Levi himself. In October, The Associated Press interviewed Johnston and reported that he had left school to work as an apprentice electrician. Palin issued a statement Wednesday clarifying that Johnston is "continuing his online high school work" while he does the apprentice thing.
According to Palin, People reported, any implication that the couple will not graduate from high school "harms Bristol's reputation and Levi's reputation and their chances for good work opportunities." Bristol and Johnston, both 18, have said they plan to wed.
