Actress Patricia Heaton, a rare conservative in Hollywood, slammed the media for “smearing” the Covington Kids, calling on journalists to do more than simply apologize. The star of such shows as Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle demanded a suspension or more for those who rushed to judgment.

Offering up a series of Tweets, Heaton highlighted the backtracking. She added,“But they don't address the damage that cannot be undone which was inflicted upon young people who are about to embark on adulthood - applying to colleges, looking for employment, etc.”

The actress concluded: “It seems to me that an apology without some kind of accompanying action which speaks to the seriousness of their transgression - a suspension from work, some loss of pay - renders any apology empty.”

Her complete tweets can be seen below:

There has been very little in the way of serious reflection for many journalists. CNN’s Chris Cuomo on Tuesday bashed the Covington kids as “victims of their own choices.” On Saturday, MSNBC panelists compared the teenagers to Nazis and segregationists. Also, on Saturday, CNN and MSNBC spent 53 minutes smearing the children.

To read NewsBusters' complete coverage of the Covington kids, go here.