Psycho Sensei

So, here I am as a parent, with a computer savvy daughter with her own machine, and if she decides to post on her website, hosted in my house, from her own computer that she hates school, thinks the teachers suck, and thinks that one of her friends is a putz, the SCHOOL is going to step in and say that not only does she not have a First Amendment right to do this, but I, as a parent, can't give her permission to express herself? It's fine enough that they attempt to regulate behavior during school time, but when she's with me at my house using my facilities that I've allowed they're going to step in there too and tell me how to parent? I'm damn glad that she graduates high school in 2 1/2 years.

Schools punishing kids for what they say online | IndyStar.com:


Schools punishing kids for what they say online
Critics say policies that extend to posts from home computers are unconstitutional

By Rebecca Neal
A growing number of school officials in the Indianapolis area are trying to punish students for Internet commentary they deem inappropriate -- including postings on home computers -- drawing outrage from teens and free-speech advocates.

As schools across the country adopt blogging policies, parents have challenged their constitutionality. Here are a few cases stemming from the policies:

Colorado: Littleton High School junior Bryan Lopez was suspended after posting comments about his school on MySpace.com in February. On his profile, he discussed the poor condition of his school building and the perceived racial biases of teachers and staff. Lopez contested his suspension and was reinstated.

Ohio: Eighth-grader Jessica Schoch was expelled after posting a parody profile of a school administrator on MySpace in the spring. The Holland, Ohio, teen protested the expulsion, claiming the profile was free speech. The Springfield School Board later reversed the expulsion.

Pennsylvania: Student rapper Anthony Latour, Ellwood City, posted his original rap lyrics and recordings on the Internet. Latour, then 14, and a friend engaged in "battle rap," trying to one-up each other with violent lyrics. Anthony was expelled in May 2005 because of the violent lyrics and arrested and charged with terroristic threatening, though the charges were later dropped. He sued the Riverside Beaver County School District, which settled with Latour's family for $90,000. Latour has since filed a lawsuit against the officers who arrested him.

-- Star research

One student has been expelled at one school, another suspended. One school district has warned students they are legally responsible for postings; another will vote on a similar policy this month.
"Kids look at the Internet as today's restroom wall," said Steve Dillon, director of student services for Carmel Clay Schools. "They need to learn that some things are not acceptable anywhere."
Carmel High School used its harassment and bullying policy to expel a student Dillon said posted sexually explicit comments about a teacher on MySpace. A second Carmel student was suspended for 10 days and given community service for posting racially offensive comments about a teacher on the site, he said.
Another area school district, Clark-Pleasant in Whiteland, is trying to pass a policy that puts students -- and teachers -- on notice that they are legally responsible for anything they post online, including material deemed defamatory, obscene, proprietary or libelous. The proposed policy will come before the School Board on Oct. 17. Beech Grove passed a similar policy in the spring. "If something starts online and spills into school, we want to be able to deal with that and restore order to the school," said Clark-Pleasant Director of Technology Jim White, who crafted the district's proposed policy on responding to Internet activity.