The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was keep. NORTH AMERICA ¹⁰⁰⁰ 03:52, 27 January 2015 (UTC) reply

Jason Robertson

Jason Robertson (  | talk | history | protect | delete | links | watch | logs | views) – ( View log · Stats)

(Find sources:  Google ( books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs) · FENS · JSTOR · TWL)

Biography with no claim of notability. Went through AFD in 2007 with keep. However, in the intervening 8 years, the article has not improved. Only citation is an obituary. Drdisque ( talk) 03:24, 20 January 2015 (UTC) reply

• Delete This is an article where I am going to invoke WP:IGNOREALLRULES and argue for deletion against normal policy. Yes, this article satisfied WP:GNG at the first AfD. However, the Jason Robertson is not and never will be Ryan White. He had some small, fleeting notability as an aids activist, but never came close to the level of Ryan White. I believe this article has existed since 2003. Twelve years and still a one line stub. If allowed to remain, I would bet that twelve years from now, in 2027, it would still be a one line stub. At some point, we have to use common sense and realize that in some cases, such as this case, notability does NOT equal to viable article potential. Lets cut our loses and delete this, in realization that a viable article will never develop here. Safiel ( talk) 03:45, 20 January 2015 (UTC) reply

• Comment By comparison, Ryan White has reached Featured Article status. Safiel ( talk) 03:50, 20 January 2015 (UTC) reply

• Keep. Respectfully, I don't see what kind of a deletion argument it is that this young man wasn't as well known as Ryan White. I'm sorry that no one has previously seen fit to expand this article, but I was able to come up with a reasonable narrative and multiple national sources in about 20 minutes. To-wit:

Robertson became nationally prominent at age 7, in 1988 when he had to fight for the right to attend regular classes at his school in Granite City, Illinois, where previously the administration had isolated him in his own trailer. A federal court ruled in his favor. "Schoolboy With Aids Virus Polarizes Downstate City", Chicago Tribune, May 17, 1988.

He appeared with Ryan White and Elton John at an AIDS benefit that year. Elton John Sings--to Benefit Others", Los Angeles Times, July 11, 1988.

Then, he was in the news again the following school year when his family, seeking to escape continuing hostility, moved to a new town where he found more acceptance, though it wasn't perfect. "An 8-year-old boy with AIDS symptoms...", Orlando Sentinel, September 25, 1988. "AIDS children shunned and isolated", The Daily News (Kentucky), February 20, 1989.

When he died in 2003 his obituaries stated that he was seen as a symbol and a role model in the fight against AIDS discrimination. "Young fighter against school's AIDS segregation dies at 23", USA Today, September 10, 2003.

Ten years after his death he was still being remembered. "Music played a big role in Alton High’s student activities", The Telegraph (Alton, Ill.), November 16. 2013.

-- Arxiloxos ( talk) 07:05, 20 January 2015 (UTC) reply

• Lots of students and their families get in disputes with school administration. Many of these are written about in newspapers, this does not make them notable. Many ill children meet with celebrities, this does not make them notable. Many people who die have obituaries written that embellish their importance or accomplishments. This does not make them notable. Most people are remembered after they die. This does not make them notable. - Drdisque ( talk) 16:16, 20 January 2015 (UTC) reply

Note: This debate has been included in the list of People-related deletion discussions.  ^B E _C K ^Y _S A ^{Y L} E _S  18:16, 20 January 2015 (UTC) reply

• Keep: So hold on here. This kid's discussed at length in major media outlets, over the course of years, and the best the Delete voters can come up with is that he's not as important as Ryan White? Who gives a damn? He meets the GNG, easily, and THAT's what makes him notable, not some "He's not important enough for my liking" or "There hasn't been any new news about him lately" arguments. Before you trot out WP:IGNOREALLRULES, how about you first not ignore WP:BEFORE? Notability still isn't temporary, guys. Nha Trang ^Allons! 15:15, 21 January 2015 (UTC) reply
• Keep The notability of Ryan White should have nothing to do with whether or not Jason Robertson is notabie, and there is significant coverage to be found with virtually no effort. Jacona ( talk) 16:23, 23 January 2015 (UTC) reply

Note: This debate has been included in the list of Illinois-related deletion discussions. • Gene93k ( talk) 17:19, 23 January 2015 (UTC) reply

• Neutral Well, at least this AfD has been worthwhile in that it has forced people to do some work on the article. Sometimes you just have to slug people over the head to get anything done around here. And with that I will withdraw my earlier comment and vote. Safiel ( talk) 21:35, 25 January 2015 (UTC) reply

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.