Student to be expelled for blog post...

[ruffilb]

TFA: http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/internet23.html

A 17-year-old student who posted on his blog site that he was being bullied and threatened by the Plainfield School District will face an expulsion hearing this week, a local attorney said.

Superintendent John Harper, who cannot comment on student cases, said the district will take action if it believes there is a safety issue. Meanwhile a spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union said school districts must be careful not to discipline students on matters that occur outside school. The student's attorney believes Plainfield School District is overstepping its boundaries.

"The district is going to take away the student's education for exercising his freedom of speech," said attorney Carl Buck. "I feel like they are trying to control his freedom of speech. ... He is saying, 'You can't bully people and we have a right to object and you can't throw people out of school for voicing their opinions.'"

On May 1, the student posted a letter to Plainfield School District on www.xanga.com , telling off the district, using vulgar words and saying he could put whatever he wanted on his site.

On a second post on May 2, without mentioning the school the student wrote: "I feel threatened by you, I cant even have a public Web page with out you bullying me and telling me what has to be removed. Where is this freedom of speech that this government is sworn to uphold? ... Did you ever stop to think this will start a community backlash? The kids at Columbine did what the did because they were bullied. ... In my opinion you are the real threat here. None of us ever put in our xanga's that they were going to kill or bring harm to any one. We voiced our opinions. You are the real threat here. you are depriving us of our right to learn. now stick that in your pipe and smoke it."

Sites like www.myspace.com and www.xanga.com are blocked from most school district computers. These sites are controversial because students often post too much information -- everything from addresses and phone numbers to provocative photos -- making them vulnerable to sexual predators.

"Our beef is it wasn't a threat. It wasn't at school," Buck said. "He doesn't name any individuals. What he is commenting on is their disciplinary action on the Freedom of Speech."

The student's mother said the district suspended her son for 10 days for inappropriate comments and vague threats. She thinks the school is overreacting. "I asked, 'If this is such a serious threat, did you call the FBI?' They said, 'No, we don't have time for this.' I asked, 'Did you call the Joliet police?' and they said, 'no.'"

In most cases, posting strong feelings and opinions on the Internet is not a crime, said Fred Hayes, deputy chief for Joliet Police Department. "Now, they can post it on a Web site. We are not seeing an explosion of new feelings or expressions from students. What you are seeing is the availability of technology to share that with quite a few people," Hayes said.

"It is not a crime to write things on the Internet ? though we find them offensive, troubling and disheartening, it is not a crime," Hayes said.

Still, it's a very fine line. "If a student wrote, 'I'm so frustrated I wish the school would blow up' ? that would not be a crime," Hayes explained. However, "if a student were to post on a Web site ... at 2 p.m. a bomb will go off in a school -- that would probably cross a line to a crime."

What happened to freedom of speech?

 

[Meuge]

I have mixed opinions about this. Schools have different kinds of rules for disciplinary actions against their students when they exercise their free speech in a way that seems inappropriate to the school (sexual harassment, racism, etc...). While I don't think schools should be MONITORING the student's websites, I also feel that perhaps people should realize that the Internet is now the world's foremost medium of communication, and just like in the real world, their comments may have consequences. So if something is inappropriate enough to NOT be said in person, why say it online then.

On the other hand, this is a horrible precedent, and will certainly lead to nothing good, because there are already so few places where one can truly exercise their free speech without fear of reprisal.

 

[JacobJ]

ongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

oh hallowed flawless text.

good thing the school district isn't congress.

 

[43st]

Since when did any of us have "freedom of speech" in school? Drop and f-bomb in the hall and you're punished. Though, with the way kids talk these days, I'd imagine the rules no longer apply.

From the article it does seem like a student safety issue. I think the blog entry is probaby incidental to the issue. Good for the school... too many law suits have made public schools ineffective at discipline.

 

[Lizardman]

Its the internet! Its serious #$$$$! ok now that is out of the way.


The kid has every right to talk trash on the internet to who ever and what ever he wants. He was not making threats, talking trash is your right as an american. If they cant stand reading it then the old farts at the school shouldnt turn on their PC.

 

[smack Down]

Originally posted by: Thera
Since when did any of us have "freedom of speech" in school? Drop and f-bomb in the hall and you're punished. Though, with the way kids talk these days, I'd imagine the rules no longer apply.

From the article it does seem like a student safety issue. I think the blog entry is probaby incidental to the issue. Good for the school... too many law suits have made public schools ineffective at discipline.

Umm the person isn't in school.

 

[Tab]

Is this a public school? Private schools can pretty much do whatever, the fvck they want in this case...

 

[43st]

Originally posted by: smack Down

Originally posted by: Thera
Since when did any of us have "freedom of speech" in school? Drop and f-bomb in the hall and you're punished. Though, with the way kids talk these days, I'd imagine the rules no longer apply.

From the article it does seem like a student safety issue. I think the blog entry is probaby incidental to the issue. Good for the school... too many law suits have made public schools ineffective at discipline.

Umm the person isn't in school.

Oh good... then the expulsion hearing doesn't matter. What a silly school to have a hearing for a non-student.

 

[RichardE]

Originally posted by: Thera

Originally posted by: smack Down

Originally posted by: Thera
Since when did any of us have "freedom of speech" in school? Drop and f-bomb in the hall and you're punished. Though, with the way kids talk these days, I'd imagine the rules no longer apply.

From the article it does seem like a student safety issue. I think the blog entry is probaby incidental to the issue. Good for the school... too many law suits have made public schools ineffective at discipline.

Umm the person isn't in school.

Oh good... then the expulsion hearing doesn't matter. What a silly school to have a hearing for a non-student.

Don't know why a school should be allowed to control a student outside of school grounds.

 

[fitzov]

So, if the student wrote this in his diary (and the prinicipal somehow found out) would he be facing the same punishment?

No. It's not a safety issue, but the authorities feeling snubbed feel like they need to set an example.

 

[sandorski]

Unless this is on an Official School website, the Principal should get a smack upside the head. Does that school also have a representative at the Post Office reading student mail?

 

[robphelan]

Originally posted by: Thera

Originally posted by: smack Down

Originally posted by: Thera
Since when did any of us have "freedom of speech" in school? Drop and f-bomb in the hall and you're punished. Though, with the way kids talk these days, I'd imagine the rules no longer apply.

From the article it does seem like a student safety issue. I think the blog entry is probaby incidental to the issue. Good for the school... too many law suits have made public schools ineffective at discipline.

Umm the person isn't in school.

Oh good... then the expulsion hearing doesn't matter. What a silly school to have a hearing for a non-student.

what smackdown was trying to say is that absolutely none of this occurred on school grounds or during school hours. So, school admins should have no business trying punish him for it.

what if he got a ticket for speeding? it's certainly against the law to speed.. would they expel him then?

 

[43st]

Originally posted by: robphelan

Originally posted by: Thera

Originally posted by: smack Down

Originally posted by: Thera
Since when did any of us have "freedom of speech" in school? Drop and f-bomb in the hall and you're punished. Though, with the way kids talk these days, I'd imagine the rules no longer apply.

From the article it does seem like a student safety issue. I think the blog entry is probaby incidental to the issue. Good for the school... too many law suits have made public schools ineffective at discipline.

Umm the person isn't in school.

Oh good... then the expulsion hearing doesn't matter. What a silly school to have a hearing for a non-student.

what smackdown was trying to say is that absolutely none of this occurred on school grounds or during school hours. So, school admins should have no business trying punish him for it.

what if he got a ticket for speeding? it's certainly against the law to speed.. would they expel him then?

So for example a bomb threat is ok as long as you're not on the school property? If he's a threat and he's using the internet to voice that then the school is obligated to deal with it. Anything less would be completely irresponsible.

 

[Zorba]

Originally posted by: Thera

Originally posted by: robphelan

Originally posted by: Thera

Originally posted by: smack Down

Originally posted by: Thera
Since when did any of us have "freedom of speech" in school? Drop and f-bomb in the hall and you're punished. Though, with the way kids talk these days, I'd imagine the rules no longer apply.

From the article it does seem like a student safety issue. I think the blog entry is probaby incidental to the issue. Good for the school... too many law suits have made public schools ineffective at discipline.

Umm the person isn't in school.

Oh good... then the expulsion hearing doesn't matter. What a silly school to have a hearing for a non-student.

what smackdown was trying to say is that absolutely none of this occurred on school grounds or during school hours. So, school admins should have no business trying punish him for it.

what if he got a ticket for speeding? it's certainly against the law to speed.. would they expel him then?

So for example a bomb threat is ok as long as you're not on the school property? If he's a threat and he's using the internet to voice that then the school is obligated to deal with it. Anything less would be completely irresponsible.

A bomb threat is against the law, no matter where you are. IF the school really thinks he is a safety threat, they need to call the police to have a talk with him, I know that is what my school used to always do.

 

[ruffilb]

Originally posted by: Zorba

Originally posted by: Thera

Originally posted by: robphelan

Originally posted by: Thera

Originally posted by: smack Down

Originally posted by: Thera
Since when did any of us have "freedom of speech" in school? Drop and f-bomb in the hall and you're punished. Though, with the way kids talk these days, I'd imagine the rules no longer apply.

From the article it does seem like a student safety issue. I think the blog entry is probaby incidental to the issue. Good for the school... too many law suits have made public schools ineffective at discipline.

Umm the person isn't in school.

Oh good... then the expulsion hearing doesn't matter. What a silly school to have a hearing for a non-student.

what smackdown was trying to say is that absolutely none of this occurred on school grounds or during school hours. So, school admins should have no business trying punish him for it.

what if he got a ticket for speeding? it's certainly against the law to speed.. would they expel him then?

So for example a bomb threat is ok as long as you're not on the school property? If he's a threat and he's using the internet to voice that then the school is obligated to deal with it. Anything less would be completely irresponsible.

A bomb threat is against the law, no matter where you are. IF the school really thinks he is a safety threat, they need to call the police to have a talk with him, I know that is what my school used to always do.

Bomb threats are one thing; that's phsycally threataning the student body.

This doesn't seem to be a threat at all.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: ruffilb
What happened to freedom of speech?

Government used 9-11 to throw it away.

Terrists won.

 

[DealMonkey]

This student did nothing wrong. School districts are routinely stepping outside the bounds of their authority and punishing kids for things they have no jurisdiction over.

If there truly was a threat, the school district would have been remiss not to have called the police/authorities. Otherwise, if the activity occurs off school grounds outside of school hours, they can go pound sand.

What the distrcit/school is doing is setting themselves up for a legal slap down. I sure hope they can explain the $ Millions in school funds they spend defending their idiotic decision in court. I'm sure the parents will be overjoyed to hear their school district is wasting money because they enjoy playing cop.

 

[Polish3d]

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
This student did nothing wrong. School districts are routinely stepping outside the bounds of their authority and punishing kids for things they have no jurisdiction over.

If there truly was a threat, the school district would have been remiss not to have called the police/authorities. Otherwise, if the activity occurs off school grounds outside of school hours, they can go pound sand.

What the distrcit/school is doing is setting themselves up for a legal slap down. I sure hope they can explain the $ Millions in school funds they spend defending their idiotic decision in court. I'm sure the parents will be overjoyed to hear their school district is wasting money because they enjoy playing cop.

 

[43st]

Originally posted by: Frackal

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
This student did nothing wrong. School districts are routinely stepping outside the bounds of their authority and punishing kids for things they have no jurisdiction over.

If there truly was a threat, the school district would have been remiss not to have called the police/authorities. Otherwise, if the activity occurs off school grounds outside of school hours, they can go pound sand.

What the distrcit/school is doing is setting themselves up for a legal slap down. I sure hope they can explain the $ Millions in school funds they spend defending their idiotic decision in court. I'm sure the parents will be overjoyed to hear their school district is wasting money because they enjoy playing cop.

The school is the conduit between this child and the others. It's the school's responsibilty to make sure there is no risk. It's certainly not the parents or the children themselves. If they don't investigate and something happens that cost will certainly be more than your 1 million quote.

You people are amazing. If they do something now they're damned and if something bad happens they're damned. No wonder the entire government doesn't work under the "less government" plank.

 

[DealMonkey]

Originally posted by: Thera

Originally posted by: Frackal

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
This student did nothing wrong. School districts are routinely stepping outside the bounds of their authority and punishing kids for things they have no jurisdiction over.

If there truly was a threat, the school district would have been remiss not to have called the police/authorities. Otherwise, if the activity occurs off school grounds outside of school hours, they can go pound sand.

What the distrcit/school is doing is setting themselves up for a legal slap down. I sure hope they can explain the $ Millions in school funds they spend defending their idiotic decision in court. I'm sure the parents will be overjoyed to hear their school district is wasting money because they enjoy playing cop.

The school is the conduit between this child and the others. It's the school's responsibilty to make sure there is no risk. It's certainly not the parents or the children themselves. If they don't investigate and something happens that cost will certainly be more than your 1 million quote.

You people are amazing. If they do something now they're damned and if something bad happens they're damned. No wonder the entire government doesn't work under the "less government" plank.

"It's the school's responsibilty to make sure there is no risk."

Is that part of every public school's binding legal agreement drawn up between the public at-large and themselves? I hate to inform you there is no such binding legal agreement. And furthermore, simply refer back to my earlier statement:

If there was genuine risk and/or the school suspected there was, they should stop what they're doing and call the police immediately.

They did not do so, and so it would be reasonable to assume there was no such risk.

So your argument pretty much falls apart right there.