School district to monitor student blogs

[getbush]

Text

Associate Superintendent Prentiss Lea rebuffed that criticism.
"The concept that searching a blog site is an invasion of privacy is almost an oxymoron," he said. "It is called the World Wide Web."

I don't think it's an invasion of privacy either, but I don't think it's right for the school to take discplinary action against students for online postings. Let's get a yearbook and each of us can choose a student to impersonate online and we can discuss how we think all of the current school administrators are a bunch of jackasses. That will keep them busy enough. Then after the system is a failure they can get back to teaching.

 

[Starbuck1975]

I don't understand how this is an invasion of privacy if students are placing their thoughts on the internet for the entire world to see.

If you want to keep your thoughts private, MySpace is not the place to do it.

Now, if schools choose to crack down on students for what they choose to write, there may be some free speech considerations.

However, if a group of student athletes sign a pledge saying they will not utilize controlled substances while on their respective teams, and then one of them posts pictures from a party on MySpace clearly showing said athletes not honoring the pledge, I have no problem with the school disciplining those students. I can think of other similar scenarios that would be justified.

Of course if parents would bother to actually monitor their children, schools would not be in this predicament to begin with.

 

[zendari]

Why are these Bush Chicago Republicans enacting their Big Brother religious hoogabooga government and trying to control our lives?

 

[Starbuck1975]

Why are these Bush Chicago Republicans enacting their Big Brother religious hoogabooga government and trying to control our lives?

So the vast Bush conspiracy extends all the way down to school Superintendents now?

 

[zendari]

Originally posted by: Starbuck1975

Why are these Bush Chicago Republicans enacting their Big Brother religious hoogabooga government and trying to control our lives?

So the vast Bush conspiracy extends all the way down to school Superintendents now?

Apparently. Bush and Cheney must spend thier time poking through teenage angst on myspace best deciding how to limit their freedoms and keeping them away from pot.

 

[Starbuck1975]

Apparently. Bush and Cheney must spend thier time poking through teenage angst on myspace best deciding how to limit their freedoms and keeping them away from pot.

Maybe its just me that teenagers are essentially documenting their life secrets on the internet, and then are outraged that someone stumbles upon their blogs or MySpace pages, resulting in their being disciplined for information they voluntarily disclosed to the world.

Then again, we live in the age of no accountability...surely there is someone else to blame for all of this.

No one is limiting anyone's freedom...however, if you admit to wrongdoing on the internet, you are kind of opening yourself up to repercussions.

 

[smack Down]

Originally posted by: Starbuck1975

Apparently. Bush and Cheney must spend thier time poking through teenage angst on myspace best deciding how to limit their freedoms and keeping them away from pot.

Maybe its just me that teenagers are essentially documenting their life secrets on the internet, and then are outraged that someone stumbles upon their blogs or MySpace pages, resulting in their being disciplined for information they voluntarily disclosed to the world.

Then again, we live in the age of no accountability...surely there is someone else to blame for all of this.

No one is limiting anyone's freedom...however, if you admit to wrongdoing on the internet, you are kind of opening yourself up to repercussions.

The school shouldn't be punishing people for activites that occur outside of school. That is what the justice system is for.

 

[piasabird]

They would not be monitoring what they are blogging if there was not a problem.

Only 2 resons to monitor.

1. Predators

2. Censorship i.e. Hatespeech, inappropriate conduct, etc.

#2 could include copyright infringement.

Children in a school can be censored since they are not adults, the school has to be their parents in abstentia.

 

[Starbuck1975]

The school shouldn't be punishing people for activites that occur outside of school. That is what the justice system is for.

True, but sometimes the line does blur.

If a school sports team engages in behavior that poorly represents the school as a whole, there are definitely implications and justifications for school involvement...for instance, if a high school football team is throwing keg parties every weekend, and students post pictures from these parties at MySpace, there are definitely justifications for school involvement should a faculty member become aware of these online postings.

School liability extends beyond school grounds...so too should a school's ability to discipline those of its students that place the school and its staff at risk.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: zendari
Why are these Bush Chicago Republicans enacting their Big Brother religious hoogabooga government and trying to control our lives?

Dave... Did you log in under the wrong account again?

 

[senseamp]

My only concern is that someone is going to be wasting time looking at blogs on taxpayer pay.
There is no privacy if you have a blog under your own name and publicly share info with everyone.

 

[zendari]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Originally posted by: zendari
Why are these Bush Chicago Republicans enacting their Big Brother religious hoogabooga government and trying to control our lives?

Dave... Did you log in under the wrong account again?

Sarcasm....apparently some people missed it.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: Starbuck1975
I don't understand how this is an invasion of privacy if students are placing their thoughts on the internet for the entire world to see.

If you want to keep your thoughts private, MySpace is not the place to do it.

Now, if schools choose to crack down on students for what they choose to write, there may be some free speech considerations.

However, if a group of student athletes sign a pledge saying they will not utilize controlled substances while on their respective teams, and then one of them posts pictures from a party on MySpace clearly showing said athletes not honoring the pledge, I have no problem with the school disciplining those students. I can think of other similar scenarios that would be justified.

Of course if parents would bother to actually monitor their children, schools would not be in this predicament to begin with.

:thumbsup:

 

[Mrfrog840]

im so glad im out of school....

 

[surreal1221]

Schools, at this time, legally, can not punish a student for their actions OUTSIDE of school property / functions.

I think for school administrators searching the internet for blogs ran by their students, to be an absolute waste of my tax paying dollars. I'm sure they can invest their time, and money (internet connection costs, computer repair costs, new chairs for students, new books, more pay for teachers, etc etc etc, I could go on all night about what is wrong with our education system. . .and it's not the teachers) on a number of more valuable services to the tax payer.

Of course, my input doesnt matter. America is going to hell in a hand basket, and this is just another fine example of the fear mongering that is occuring in conservative America. Job well done.

Originally posted by: Starbuck1975
School liability extends beyond school grounds...so too should a school's ability to discipline those of its students that place the school and its staff at risk.

So simply because a school "should" do something that makes it the right thing to do? I could understand this thinking if we all lived in Kansas or Nebraska, or even Pakistan or Saudi Arabia. This is America though, minus Kansas and Nebraska (can't stand them. . .worse than Texas) . . . anyways . . . this is America. Last time I checked, we all are free, even if we are under 18.

School liability does not, what so ever, extend beyond its grounds. Give me one example of where this has been proven, or hell, even shown. It makes no sense. Duke university as would be a poor example to defend this thinking. The individuals involved are over 18, and can be held accountable for their actions in a court of law, how about we use it?

We have a justice system that can prosecute with no disregard to one's age. Second, how about we hold the parents to some responsibility for their digenerate childs actions. Right? Or should we once again not do the right thing, because it is easier to not do?

 

[smack Down]

Originally posted by: Starbuck1975

The school shouldn't be punishing people for activites that occur outside of school. That is what the justice system is for.

True, but sometimes the line does blur.

If a school sports team engages in behavior that poorly represents the school as a whole, there are definitely implications and justifications for school involvement...for instance, if a high school football team is throwing keg parties every weekend, and students post pictures from these parties at MySpace, there are definitely justifications for school involvement should a faculty member become aware of these online postings.

School liability extends beyond school grounds...so too should a school's ability to discipline those of its students that place the school and its staff at risk.

No there is no justification for the school taking any action based on activites outside of school. THe school is not the justice system for those under 18. If the school wants it can send the picture to the real police and see if they are intersted investigation.

 

[her209]

Why stop with our kids? What if your employers monitored your Internet activities (while you were at home) and fired you if you said anything they deemed negative?

 

[Jaskalas]

Government funds should not be used to block the 1st and 4th amendments.

 

[Cobalt]

This is my district... Associate Superintendent was my principle as well, DuPage is a fairly wealthy, heavy Republican--do what's best for the kids, etc--community. As Prom arrives this weekend, police are setting up random check points throughout the towns, the district setup two wrecked cars on the front lawn as a reminder to kids not to drink and drive.

 

[MadRat]

People have sat idly by as schools have encroached more and more into the home of their studetns.

Until parents give them the collective **** off, expect it only to get worse. Damn extremists from both the liberals and conservatives, they always have to stop the freedoms of expression.

 

[MadRat]

Originally posted by: cobalt
This is my district... Associate Superintendent was my principle as well, DuPage is a fairly wealthy, heavy Republican--do what's best for the kids, etc--community. As Prom arrives this weekend, police are setting up random check points throughout the towns, the district setup two wrecked cars on the front lawn as a reminder to kids not to drink and drive.

And if those cars aren't properly registered I'd complain to the city administrator. If they want to put cars illegally on their lawn then they can pay the price for it. If you or me did that then you can be sure they'd require proper registrations or you'd get a nice fat ticket with your name on it.

 

[surreal1221]

Originally posted by: MadRat
People have sat idly by as schools have encroached more and more into the home of their studetns.

Until parents give them the collective **** off, expect it only to get worse. Damn extremists from both the liberals and conservatives, they always have to stop the freedoms of expression.

I know you said extremists from both sides. . . but, when have liberals tried to stop the freedom of expression?

 

[Cobalt]

Originally posted by: surreal1221

Originally posted by: MadRat
People have sat idly by as schools have encroached more and more into the home of their studetns.

Until parents give them the collective **** off, expect it only to get worse. Damn extremists from both the liberals and conservatives, they always have to stop the freedoms of expression.

I know you said extremists from both sides. . . but, when have liberals tried to stop the freedom of expression?

ACLU trying to halt criticism from it's board of directors on it's policies.

 

[Zedtom]

Now if the school could make it mandatory that you must have a webcam installed and operating when posting to your blog, then the circle would be complete. Big brother would really be watching.

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: MadRat
People have sat idly by as schools have encroached more and more into the home of their studetns.

Until parents give them the collective **** off, expect it only to get worse. Damn extremists from both the liberals and conservatives, they always have to stop the freedoms of expression.

They aren't stopping any freedoms. All they are doing is holding people accountable. You seem to forget that a lot of people tend to post illegal actions on the internet quite frequently.