Student suspended for facebook slam against teacher

[LadySunshine]

I don't like this at all. I agree with Oh La La. The school far overstepped its bounds. If the principal was so concerned he or she should have contacted the parents and allowed them to deal with the issue. I am appalled by the recent trend of schools encroaching upon the privacy and free speech of students away from the school or on their own free time. This sets a very bad precedent and can only lead to a slippery slope that will eventually result in much worst invasions of privacy.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by Ooh La La

If the school were to regulate things like this, (which I still don't think they should) then there NEEDS to be something in the student content handbook about it. Those are the "rules of the school." If facebook isn't covered in there, then it's fair game. Technically, the student broke no rules.

Why does there need to be a rule to teach you to use 'discretion', 'think before you act', and 'conflict resolution'?

That should be taught at home.

[Ooh La La]

Of course there should be a rule, because otherwise it becomes too subjective.

[DaemonSeid]

I call bullshit on that.

No one should have to, IN WRITING, how to solve life problems.

..although there are enough books on it.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by RaggedyAnn

My parents would have made me write a letter of apology to the teacher.

Good for them. Mine would too and they would have made me accept my punishment.

And it wouldn't have mattered a whit if the teacher had called me stupid, because I would be held responsible for my own actions.

Originally Posted by Ooh La La

The kid made a douche move, but it did not happen at school. It's like seeing your teacher in a grocery store, saying something rude, and then telling all your friends about it. The school overstepped its boundaries and I think they're in for a long fight.

Let me know how that works out for you when you use your home computer on your own time to create a Facebook page criticizing your boss and then cry foul when you get fired.

And no, it's not like saying something rude to your teacher and then telling your friends about it. It's like taking an ad out in the newspaper knowing that the newspaper could have wide distribution, including possibly in the school.

Originally Posted by Ooh La La

Yeah, but here's the thing. In the end it's still a CHILD doing something stupid. Eventually he wised up, realized it was a mistake, and took down the page. It was taken down. Who hasn't said something stupid as a kid? He obviously learned his lesson, but suspension simply isn't acceptable when it doesn't occur on school grounds.

Obviously? I don't know that it's that obvious. From the article linked, it doesn't look like he wised up and realized the error of his ways. He left it up for five days and only took it down when he realized he might be about to get in trouble.

He's an almost-adult kid. Sure I did stupid stuff as a kid, and part of the lesson-learning from that was that stupid things come with consequences.

Originally Posted by Ooh La La

The school's responsibility to give out punishments ends at school. It does not extend into the home. That isn't just my opinion. It's something that has been confirmed in higher court many times in the past. If the parents did choose to pursue legal action, there's almost no doubt they will win.

Care to cite some of those higher court cases? Based on the limited information we have, I'd say there is definitely doubt as to whether he'd win.

He created the page outside school, but it had a direct connection to school and a direct impact on the school, on the teacher and on the classroom. By posting on the web, he published something that could be accessed on any computer, including, as Kevin noted, the school's computers unless access to Facebook was blocked by the school.

(In case you can't tell, I'm 100% with DS and DrPhil.)

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Ooh La La

You just completely created a logical fallacy jumping from reasons for punishment to homework issues. If I call a teacher a name to a group of friends, outside of school, then the school can't do anything about it.

You don't know what a logical fallacy is.

[DaemonSeid]

And let's be honest, people. We all weren't perfect angels, but if we knew that we were going to do something that had potential of being bad, most of us were SMART enough to not leave an obvious paper trail!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Ooh La La

If the school were to regulate things like this, (which I still don't think they should) then there NEEDS to be something in the student content handbook about it. Those are the "rules of the school." If facebook isn't covered in there, then it's fair game. Technically, the student broke no rules.

Do you know for sure there is nothing in the handbook addressing this? Granted, the article says there's nothing about Facebook in the handbook, but I'd wager there is something about harassment of others. I know many school systems have included cyber-harassment in their definition of harassment. There is also probably something about disruption of school or disruption of the learning environment.

[DaemonSeid]

see page 3 and 9.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

see page 3

Who gon check me, boo?

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Who gon check me, boo?

I sees youse!!!!! I SEEES YOUSE!!!

I'm like da winnnnnd.

BTW...see page 9 too...LOL

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

see page 3 and 9.

That looks like the Curriculum Handbook -- I don't see anything about discipline in it. Is there a separate Student Handbook?

[DaemonSeid]

You saw the school philosophy and learner exit outcomes?

That's more what I am focusing on.

My belief is that the scholl district's goal is to instill and enhance some form of accountability in students.

That accountability (per page 9) will have them better prepared to enter post secondary school life by the skills inside and outside of the classrom.

That's all I am saying.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

That looks like the Curriculum Handbook -- I don't see anything about discipline in it. Is there a separate Student Handbook?

It is the bolded. I thought I kept overlooking something.

DaemonSeid, let us know what you were trying to reference so you can "who gon check me, boo."

[DrPhil]

Wait...we are talking about Oak Forest High School.

I can find their curriculum handbook but not their student conduct book.

However, the school said the facebook page was disruptive to the school day; and I'm about to lose interest very soon.