School expels student for swearing on Twitter during non-school hours

[CaptainJaneway]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technolo...230832581.html

I thought this was interesting. I keep wondering what this world is coming to?

[Anthony K. S.]

A student posts a message with profanity in it ... from his own computer, at his home, at 2:30 in the morning.

And the content of the message had nothing to do with the school, not that it necessarily would have mattered if it did.

Just what part of this is ANY of the school's business?

I really liked this comment on the article :

Remember when schools used to teach?

By the way, did anyone notice this from the linked, earlier article :

The school claims it was done from a school computer.

Um, at 2:30 in the morning? That would have been quite a trick.

[Greenday]

If it was done on a school computer, I can understand why he was expelled. Shouldn't be trespassing on school property.

But seeing as that probably isn't the case, the taxpayes are probably going to lose some money on the impending lawsuit.

[HYHYBT]

Some of the comments are... incoherent. "You'd be fired if you did that at work" presented as an explanation for why it's OK to expel him from school even though he was in neither place, for instance.

All the places *that* sort of logic would lead if it were carried out consistently... it would cut down on the population, for one thing: most people aren't allowed to have sex at work, either.

[Andara Bledin]

Supposedly, the story goes that the equipment used by the kid was the property of the school, but the account was his personal Twitter account.

Personally, I find the decision to be bullshit. And I feel that the fact that the school uses their system to monitor every kid who has a school-owned computer to be a massive invasion of privacy. There's a certain level that even children should enjoy.

^-.-^

[fireheart17]

If it was done on a school computer, I can understand why he was expelled. Shouldn't be trespassing on school property.

But seeing as that probably isn't the case, the taxpayes are probably going to lose some money on the impending lawsuit.

at 2:30 in the morning? Don't think so.

Some of the comments are... incoherent. "You'd be fired if you did that at work" presented as an explanation for why it's OK to expel him from school even though he was in neither place, for instance.

I think that their argument is that school is MEANT to be preparing us for the "real world" and in the real world, you can be fired for doing something stupid. -.-

Supposedly, the story goes that the equipment used by the kid was the property of the school, but the account was his personal Twitter account.

Personally, I find the decision to be bullshit. And I feel that the fact that the school uses their system to monitor every kid who has a school-owned computer to be a massive invasion of privacy. There's a certain level that even children should enjoy.

^-.-^

Now in all honesty, I do have to wonder why schools are lending out such expensive equipment in the first place.

[Duelist925]

I think I facepalmed to hard I gave myself a concussion. This is...monumentally stupid.

[Anthony K. S.]

I think that their argument is that school is MEANT to be preparing us for the "real world" and in the real world, you can be fired for doing something stupid.

The argument just doesn't work.

He was at home when he did this, and people are naturally expected to do things in the privacy of their home that they wouldn't do at work, or any other public place.

Why would this student be any different? Why would people think that because he did this in his home, he would do it at work as well?

I can't see the logic in saying that the school was justified in punishing him for doing this at home because he could get fired for doing it at work.

To me, it's like trying to push a square peg into a round hole. The points simply don't line up.

[Racket_Man]

this story sound all too much like the school calling the cops on a student with a school issued laptop (with a webcam activated illegally while the child was in her bedroom) for alledgely "doing drugs" (actually eating candylike Mike and Ike or TicTacs) .

see this thread for details

[DrFaroohk]

So apparently the officials at the school have nothing better to do than read students' private tweets and spend all kinds of time making stupid decisions about it...

We also have a problem with funding our educational programs.

How about since these people have so much free time, we put them to work teaching extra classes, or better yet, helping out the janitor to cut down on payroll. I'd love to see the principal or guidance counselor on his hands and knees scrubbing toilets. Mostly as a reminder that he has a job to do.

[Greenday]

Now in all honesty, I do have to wonder why schools are lending out such expensive equipment in the first place.

Because not everyone can afford a computer or laptop. And having access to the internet readily available can make learning a lot easier. Plus a lot of schools have homework online and such.

Now, if it is the school's laptop being lent to him, he's SOL. While I think expelling him is extremely overboard, in the real world, you are held responsible for what you do on your work computer. Just because you aren't at work doesn't change anything. You are being given usage of it under special terms and conditions. You break them, you pay the price.

[DrFaroohk]

Now, if it is the school's laptop being lent to him, he's SOL. While I think expelling him is extremely overboard, in the real world, you are held responsible for what you do on your work computer. Just because you aren't at work doesn't change anything. You are being given usage of it under special terms and conditions. You break them, you pay the price.

I agree with this to an extent. First, those conditions must be explicitly listed. Like "While using this laptop, you are considered to be in school."

And this rule has to apply to EVERYONE. Teacher using school issued equipment and drinking a beer? Same as drinking in school.

Second, I believe in a situation like this, the student should have to pay FULL REPARATIONS for the damages he caused while misusing school property. That's right, FULL. 100% of all damage he caused. All money to have the computer fixed, reburbished, formated or whatever.

[RedRoseSpiral]

So where did he break the computer? All I'm see is the kid mouthing off on Twitter. I don't see how that can cause a computer to be refurbished, reformatted, or whatever.

[bex1218]

Garrett High School's computer system actively tracks the social media presence of its students. Because the student logged on to his account during school hours, the system was able to find and report the foul-mouthed tweet, leading to the expulsion.

He didn't borrow a computer. He logged on at school and they tracked it outside of school. No reason to expel.

[Greenday]

He didn't borrow a computer. He logged on at school and they tracked it outside of school. No reason to expel.

I think everyone can agree that expulsion is excessive but what about just punishing him in general? Didn't happen at school but it did happen on school equipment.