As a former teacher, I know that protecting students from harm is important, but sometimes you really wonder about people. Take for instance this article about a high school that is going to hold students responsible for the things they post on their PRIVATE BLOGS.
Question 1: I know that threats made toward students and faculty members are to be taken seriously, but isn't this the responsibility of the local/county/state/federal authorities?
Question 2: How much say is the school going to have over what is posted on the student's personal blog? What happens if a student disagrees with a school policy or decision? Will the school be able to force a student to either take the message, or for that matter Blog, down or face suspension?
Question 3: Isn't is the responsibility of the student's PARENTS to police their own child's online activities?
Answers?: I don't have any except to say that this seems more of the same old: 1) Parent's want our schools to teach their kids unless it conflicts with their view of how the world works or puts them out in some way or the other. 2) Schools seem to be kind of knee-jerking their way through the whole Internets thing anyway thinking that they can control what is being said about the school through intimidation.
In the end, I think that First Amendment rights will outweigh any schools attempt to censor a student withing the auspices of the whole Slander/Libel lawsuit realm. A similar situation occurred at a Catholic School that mandated that no student was allowed to have a private blog or use IM... EVEN AT HOME. Granted that a private school has the right to place whatever restrictions they want to in regards to allowing students to attend, but once again, in the home, isn't it the parents' responsibility to monitor this?
Interested in what the EFF has to say about this? Check out this... and this...
Technorati Tags: First Amendment, Blogging, Students
Question 1: I know that threats made toward students and faculty members are to be taken seriously, but isn't this the responsibility of the local/county/state/federal authorities?
Question 2: How much say is the school going to have over what is posted on the student's personal blog? What happens if a student disagrees with a school policy or decision? Will the school be able to force a student to either take the message, or for that matter Blog, down or face suspension?
Question 3: Isn't is the responsibility of the student's PARENTS to police their own child's online activities?
Answers?: I don't have any except to say that this seems more of the same old: 1) Parent's want our schools to teach their kids unless it conflicts with their view of how the world works or puts them out in some way or the other. 2) Schools seem to be kind of knee-jerking their way through the whole Internets thing anyway thinking that they can control what is being said about the school through intimidation.
In the end, I think that First Amendment rights will outweigh any schools attempt to censor a student withing the auspices of the whole Slander/Libel lawsuit realm. A similar situation occurred at a Catholic School that mandated that no student was allowed to have a private blog or use IM... EVEN AT HOME. Granted that a private school has the right to place whatever restrictions they want to in regards to allowing students to attend, but once again, in the home, isn't it the parents' responsibility to monitor this?
Interested in what the EFF has to say about this? Check out this... and this...
Technorati Tags: First Amendment, Blogging, Students
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