Students expelled or suspended after calling a teacher a pedophile on facebook

[gremcint]

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/facebook/s...book-posts/517

The author of the article says he thinks they shouldn't have gotten expelled, I think they should have definitely.

If the teacher had posted anything about their students then they would have been fired so it's nice to see the reverse hold up. Also the author says that the principle violated the students privacy by making her login to facebook but I disagree, if it's on facebook it aint private, it's the exact same thing as spreading rumours.

[BlaqueKatt]

wow another person that believes freedom of speech means freedom of consequences from said speech. The students are damn lucky the teacher doesn't sue for defamation of character. Calling someone a pedophile and a rapist because "they were mad at him" jeebus.....there are no words....

[Greenday]

How these kids made honor roll is beyond me since they obviously aren't that bright. The only thing I'm confused on is that the kid who called the teacher got expelled but the kids who called the teacher a rapist and a pedophile only got suspended. Should be reversed. Or just expel them all. God forbid they get punished for what they do.

[AdminAssistant]

Eh, post-NCLB it doesn't take anything to get on the honor roll.

[draco664]

wow another person that believes freedom of speech means freedom of consequences from said speech. The students are damn lucky the teacher doesn't sue for defamation of character. Calling someone a pedophile and a rapist because "they were mad at him" jeebus.....there are no words....

The teacher won't sue; at present their name is protected, as soon as it goes to court it's public knowledge.

[Andara Bledin]

This is a tough one to call.

One has to find where the line falls between freedom of speech (calling someone you're mad at names) and making false accusations (claiming your teacher is a pedophile or rapist).

I do find that the third kid being expelled, who merely said the teacher was bipolar, seems way out of whack compared to the other two. Either there's a history with that kid, or the other two are getting preferential treatment for being honor roll students.

As for honor roll kids being stupid; there's a huge difference between intelligence and smarts.

^-.-^

[Rageaholic]

Yeah, in this case, the school has every right to get involved. What the students did could have actually hurt the teacher so they have the right to take action against them. For once, I'm actually in agreement a controversial decision made by the public schools.

[blas87]

Sue the kids? More like sue the parents, if the kids are minors.

And if the parents aren't richy rich, why even bother, you won't get anything out of them.

[Amanita]

Yeah, I think that what these kids did was way beyond the pale. Saying "So and so teacher is such a bitch!" when frustrated or angry is one thing. But making serious accusations such as "rapist" and "pedophile", that could really screw somebody's career? NOT cool!

[Greenday]

One has to find where the line falls between freedom of speech (calling someone you're mad at names) and making false accusations (claiming your teacher is a pedophile or rapist).

I'm pretty sure slander falls way beyond the line.

[Andara Bledin]

*checks the quoted text*

Huh. I didn't realize that placing the specific libelous comments under the heading of "false accusations" could be seen as ambiguous.

^-.-^

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

wow another person that believes freedom of speech means freedom of consequences from said speech.

There's a guy on there whining about First Amendment rights and how he fought in Iraq. Okay, you got shot in the leg over there so I can call somebody I'm mad at a pedophile or a rapist? I don't think so.

If you're mad at your teacher, call her a bitch, call her a poopyhead, call her whatever. But calling her a pedophile or a rapist implies illegal activity that can not only kill her career but also land her in jail, and at the bottom of the food chain there to boot.

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. Too many people don't understand that. I applaud the school for getting involved.

[DrFaroohk]

I've always touchy about these things because generally I think everything needs to be compartmentalized. Employers should only have jurisdiction on company property, and schools should only have it on school property or during school functions.

But this is different, as the student has now posed a threat to said teacher. I would think if he posted "mr. smith is an assface", it'd be different. Unless he posted this message from a school computer.

[Greenday]

But this is different, as the student has now posed a threat to said teacher. I would think if he posted "mr. smith is an assface", it'd be different. Unless he posted this message from a school computer.

Exactly. If they had just made any ordinary rude comment, they probably would have just gotten a detention. But they threatened to ruin his career and a detention wouldn't have taught them the correct lesson.

[DrFaroohk]

I disagree with even a detention. If it's just name calling, and off school property, it's none of the school's damn business.

This is touchy for me anyway. I got banned from computer usage at my high school for something I did AT HOME, which in no way, shape or form involved anyone from the school. Someone misinterpreted something I said over the internet, (again nothing to do with school), and without asking me he made the decision I was being rude, and then he e-mailed the computer teacher saying I needed a lesson in manners. I spent freshman and sophomore year banished.

I think that's bullcrap. People need to keep shit where it belongs.