HS students being suspended for MySpace content

[KustmAce]

LITTLETON, Colo. -- Some Littleton High School students are planning a protest after two students were suspended for postings on the popular Web site MySpace.com, a site where teens create personal pages to keep in touch and make friends.

Each teen can have their own page, with photos and blogs and musings -- basically whatever they want. But two students from Littleton High School typed postings that the school administration found out about and didn't like, and now there's a question of whether the school is imposing on the student's first amendment rights to free expression.

The ACLU has also been contacted and is investigating the matter.

"A kid named Brian wrote a bulletin that said, 'You know you go to LHS when ...'" said senior Auburn Kisselman.

The posting then went on with vulgarities. Some say the posting was offensive and racist, but others thought it was just fun.

"'You know you go to LHS when ... the girls at your school are not hot... the ones that are wear two pounds of makeup, which makes them fake' ... just very general types of things," said Kisselman.

Kisselman said she was suspended for one day for responding to the boy's posting. She said he was suspended for 15 days.

The school district said, "When any other student behavior disrupts the educational process, it is the school's responsibility to respond accordingly."

But students feel that what's posted on MySpace is none of the school's business, especially if it's not threatening.

"Because MySpace is locked from school computers, there is no way to even access the site from any school facility, so there is no way they can govern what we can or can't say on it," said Littleton High School student Christian Kutauskas.

So some students are wearing green ribbons in support of their First Amendment rights.

Students said the the school has called several parents in response to photos and postings on MySpace. A spokewoman for the district said the students are misinformed.

The student protest is planned for Friday at 2:30 p.m.

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Dont have a link for the article, actually got it off a MySpace bulletin, but I have references. I have a great deal of friends at Littleton High, and the same thing is going on at another school in the same district as Littleton, called Heritage High, which I graduated from last year.

Discuss.

[Mustangman25]

I believe, not too long ago, some kid was suspended from school for a site he made critcizing his school in a similar fashion. He took the school to court, and actually made it to the Supreme Court if memory serves me, (though it may have been a state supreme court) where the court sided with the student and said that his first ammendment rights were being violated, and that the school had no reason to suspend him. I think it's BS...it's ironic that the many HS in the nation, at least in my area, try and teach that censorship is bad, especially in literature, yet they go ahead with it anyways.

[TerminalVelocity]

that says it well.

They have no right inside of our personal lives. First, they were not breaking any laws or causing harm to anyone. They simply posted how they feel and for a school to try to parrent like that is illegal and out of line. They are incharge of the kids for the hours they are in (spotso be in) school. Not what they do in their free time. Homework aside...

[cody_e]

Thank God my school doesn't extend into my personal life. I mean if I was palying sport under the athletic code and I posted pitcures of me drinking or I talkied about doing illegal stuff on school grounds then I could see the school coming after me but what that guy said was just speaking his mind about his school.

[YogsVR4]

The only real issue the school can take with it is if they did the postings from a school PC. The school can censor (porn etc) content on its computer and that should be the limit of their restrictions.

[03cavPA]

The school needs to butt out. I think it is perfectly appropriate for the school to block access from their network. That is their right and responsibility.

They have no business trying to dictate what happens in offsite servers and web pages, unless it deals with death threats and talks of bombings and such. You WILL notice where the HS is. I'd say they may have reason to be a bit ...errr, umm ..."gun" shy?

If someone thinks they have been maligned offsite, then deal with it the good old fashioned American way; hire a lawyer and sue the shit out of somebody. Wah, wah, they said the girls are ugly. boo freakin' hoo.

Where's that dumbass fat f*ck Michael Moore when we really need him?

[Muscletang]

Originally Posted by 03cavPA

Where's that dumbass fat f*ck Michael Moore when we really need him?

Trying to wage his Holy War against Bush that's as useless as a box of condoms at a whore house.

Why don't the parents sue on this matter or threaten to raise hell?

EXAMPLE

I have a shirt that says "Wise" and there is the picture of a donkey. The donkey though was the democratic donkey they use in all their ads and stuff. When the school officials said I had to take the shirt off or had to go home I replied:

"This here is the democratic's national symbol. I'm exercising my political rights saying I'm a wise democrate. Are you saying you're restricting my right to exercise my political beliefs? It sounds to me you're discriminating against me because I'm a democrate. I don't think that would fly over well with the local paper."

I never heard another peep out of them and I wore the shirt whenever I wanted after that. Granted I got lucky that time and going to the paper wouldn't have done a damn thing for me but I bet the farm and won.

[cody_e]

It kind of sucks how the world changed. My dad walked the same hallways as me with a shotgun in its case and shells in his pocket. They were shooting trap in gym class. Now you bring a pocket kniofe to shcool you are going to be arrested and possibly expelled.

[TexasF355F1]

Originally Posted by cody_e

It kind of sucks how the world changed. My dad walked the same hallways as me with a shotgun in its case and shells in his pocket. They were shooting trap in gym class. Now you bring a pocket kniofe to shcool you are going to be arrested and possibly expelled.

What redneck town did your dad live in to carry a shotgun in school? My dad (whose nearly 60) was kicked out of high school for a day or two b/c he brought a pocket knife.

[Flatrater]

I agree with everyone so far, schools should not be alowed to rule anyone outside of school. But I doubt any lawsuit would stop this or change it's course.

In my area we have a school district that will suspend students from sports programs and schol dances if a student is caught drinking under age or with drugs. This rule has been tested by the courts and the school has won everyone so far.

As an empoyee of a new car dealer my employer has the right to fire me for what I do on my private time. I'm sure you have the same rule with your employer.

[cody_e]

Originally Posted by TexasF355F1

What redneck town did your dad live in to carry a shotgun in school? My dad (whose nearly 60) was kicked out of high school for a day or two b/c he brought a pocket knife.

It's a town of 20,000. Then it probably had 17,000. Plus it's a big hunting town and nobody thought anything of it.

[carrrnuttt]

Originally Posted by Muscletang

Trying to wage his Holy War against Bush that's as useless as a box of condoms at a whore house.

Not that I disagree with you about that idiot Michael Moore, but I'd just like to point out that your analogy is flawed.

I can't think of any other place where a box of condoms will be of the MOST use than a whorehouse...

_________________________

As for the discussion at hand, I would point out to the principal that I would like to place microphones in his house so that I can get him fired when he swears about how bad the students are (and probably deservedly so) at the end of the day.

[stieh2000]

Originally Posted by Flatrater

I agree with everyone so far, schools should not be alowed to rule anyone outside of school. But I doubt any lawsuit would stop this or change it's course.

In my area we have a school district that will suspend students from sports programs and schol dances if a student is caught drinking under age or with drugs. This rule has been tested by the courts and the school has won everyone so far.

As an empoyee of a new car dealer my employer has the right to fire me for what I do on my private time. I'm sure you have the same rule with your employer.

True, but since when is a joke innocently mocking a high school comparable to durg use/underaged drinking? I'm siding with the kids because no harm was done, threatened, or even mentioned anywhere.

[skylinerules14]

does anyone know where i can street race in indiana

[YogsVR4]

Originally Posted by skylinerules14

does anyone know where i can street race in indiana

No, but I can suggest some remedial English classes so you can tell what forum you're posting in


Don't spam that posting anymore either. I see it again and the ban stick is coming out.