YOU! AND YOUR DOG! Censorship on the internet: Schools vs. Myspace Sean Holland Group 5 Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Student’s and the First amendment “Does a student have the right to express his/her opinions and beliefs in school?“ –“Yes. A student can express his/her opinions orally and in writing. A student must, however, make sure that in expressing this opinion or belief that he/she does so in a way that does not disrupt classes or other school activities. In addition, the student should not use vulgar language.” Source: The Illinois First Amendment Center

Example 1: Students Punished for Myspace Postings (2007) Bullitt County School Board passed a new policy that could suspend or expel or suspend students based on speech written on the internet. –Zero Tolerance of Cyber-bullying Cyber-bullying: willful and repeated harm inflicted through the medium of electronic text.

Arguments About The Policy For- –In January 2007, several hundred students left Bullitt East High School due to threats made on MySpace. –Two Freshmen were arrested for threatening a middle school student on Myspace. This included a picture of one holding a handgun. –A student, Rachel Neblett, committed suicide after repeated threats were made against her on Myspace

Arguments About The Policy Against –“ "The government or school authority now is attempting to regulate speech that is occurring off-site or off-campus," [ACLU Attorney William] Sharp said. "The analysis for the courts will be whether or not the school can reasonably forecast a disruption of school activities because of the speech. " ” (Students To Be Punished For MySpace Postings, 2007)

Example 2: Banning of Blogs Kept By Students Off Campus (2005) Pope John Paul XIII Regional High School, New Jersey, Ordered all students to remove blogs from Live journal, Xanga, or MySpace immediately Student’s violating this are subject to expulsion. Allowed under law, as the school is a private Catholic High School.

Arguments About Mandate For –“ In announcing the ban at the school, Pope John XIII High School’s Rev. Kieran McHugh explained that “It’s an open invitation to predators and an activity that Pope John XIII Regional High School in Sparta will no longer tolerate.” ” (Students ordered to remove blogs from MySpace, Xanga, 2005)

Arguments About Mandate Against –Direct violation to the first amendment right to free speech –Overreaction –“ Wrote one recently expelled senior, “pope john kicks you out once you think freely.” ” (Students ordered to remove blogs from MySpace, Xanga, 2005)

References The Illinois First Amendment Center Example 1 –Students to be punished for MySpace PostingsStudents to be punished for MySpace Postings Example 2 –High School Students Ordered to Remove Blogs from MySpace, XangaHigh School Students Ordered to Remove Blogs from MySpace, Xanga