Quick Poll: Do You Think Schools Should be Able to Discipline Students for Hurtful Facebook Pages?
Article posted by Justin in February 25, 2010 at 11:24 am.
(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5) Loading ...We’ve had quite a bit of feedback regarding our recent post that discussed whether or not schools can discipline students for creating a Facebook page that is critical of, or harassing toward, a staff member. The courts have given their perspective on a few different cases, but I thought I would post this simple poll for readers to weigh in themselves regarding their personal beliefs about what should or should not be allowed. Feel free to add the justification for your answer as a comment.
(if you don’t see a poll below, please try again later…we have been having trouble with the polling software)
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February 26th, 2010 at 8:03 am
If a person is stating their opinion and plainly states “in my opinion”,or “I think” then no, discipline is not in order. Everyone should be free to state their opinion;even teenagers, even if its negative. This is what makes America such a great country to live in- freedom of speech,guaranteed by the Constitution. If one crosses the line to defamation,rumor- mongering,or otherwise posts things that will make running the school or doing the persons job impossible, then yes, punishment is in order as all children have the right to be in a school environment where learning is not impeded by anyone for any reason.This is my opinion.
February 26th, 2010 at 8:54 am
I can’t answer the poll “yes” or “no”, because “it depends” on what was posted;the words used and the idea behind the posting-were they trying to start trouble or cause a problem in the teaching ability of the teacher or just venting? Ratemyprofessor.com has some pretty bad comments about university teachers. I have found, more often than not,the comments are dead on about a professors ability to teach.I used the website to choose most of my professors. It helps students weed out “bad” teachers and try to avoid them. We all know of teachers who shouldn’t be teachers-even in the University system. If postings are just a way to say “avoid this teacher if you can-they are horrible”, then students have a right to post those thoughts. Public school teachers are too quickly given “tenure” which makes it almost impossible to get rid of bad teachers. This practice needs to be either abolished or seriously updated. Part of the problem lies not only with the students but with the system.
February 26th, 2010 at 5:36 pm
This is a very hard one. I think the parents should be shown whatever the child posted but if they wrote it from their home how is it the school should have any say?
What children do at home should be punished by the parents or the law. I think they should NEVER be allowed to go onto social sites at school so therefore it is not the school that should do anything.
If the child wrote horrible stuff about anybody not just a teacher the law or dhr should take care of it.
February 28th, 2010 at 8:01 am
This is tough. If we want to get technical, freedom of speech is limited to that said about the government. That means when you’re saying something hurtful about another person, it does not fall under freedom of speech. Secondly, anyone under 18 really has no rights protected under the Constitution. Third of all, we have to protect the victims of cyberbullying, teachers and students alike. Cyberbullying is worse than traditional bullying because it becomes a public forum and quickly turns to the gang mentality. I think we need to be VERY CAREFUL when dealing with cyberbullying that we don’t extend rights to kids that they absolutely should not have!!!
March 2nd, 2010 at 9:06 pm
It is absolutely incorrect that anyone under 18 has no rights under the Constitution of the United States. The United States Supreme Court has ruled many times on minors rights and they are protected under the Constitution. Also, freedom of speech is not limited to saying things about the government. This is why profanity, opinions,and obscene speech are all protected under the Constitution. Kids should and do have rights and it is up to us, the adults meant to protect the children, to see their rights are recognized and upheld.
March 4th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Its not the schools job if it doesn’t happen in school the parent should be the punisher on this one
March 9th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
This one just caught up with me. Someone made an incredibly generalized statement on a facebook autism awareness page, under my account. Apparently my school found out and some things about harrassment have been said. (A) How is that cyber bullying? Nothing about a specific group or person was said, just a generalized statement about making fun of them. (B) Why am I being held responsible in school when nothing involved had to do with someone at school? It’s ridiculous and needs to stop.
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:26 pm
I don’t see how teachers can punish us (students)for doing something that is out of their jurisdiction. if it was something they did on the computers at school i can see how that would connect. But for them to punish someone for doing that from there home is like a New York cop going to Russia and arresting one of their citizens for cursing. (thats exaggerated i know. but a relate-able simile)