The Police State Goes To School: "Bad Touch" By The State
Via Drudge, a 12-year-old was made to hand over her Facebook password and was punished for posts she made from home. Rosa Prince writes in the Telegraph/UK:
In the Minnesota case, the 12-year-old girl, known only as RS, is said to have been punished by teachers at Minnewaska Area Middle School for things she wrote on Facebook while at home, and using her own computer.The ACLU is arguing that her First and Fourth Amendment rights, which protect freedom of speech and freedom from illegal searches respectively, were violated.
She is said to have been punished with detention after using Facebook to criticise a school hall monitor, and again after a fellow student told teachers that she had discussed sex online.
Our rights are increasingly being eroded -- on many fronts, and nobody is taking notice. It's very worrisome, because once they start going, they don't come back. Parents not only need to warn their kids about "bad touch" from some pedophile, but "bad touch" by the school and the state, and prepare them for how to behave when it happens.
NO one but hubby will ever have my FB or other passwords. If a job wants them, it's not the job for me. It's unreal what people are accepting from employers and the like.
I also think an employer should ahve the right to fire you if you are so stupid as to have a public FB acconut and post really stupid and job-inappropriate things ( a teacher posting naked pics on a public account her students could see, for example). Or, if you post it knowing fellow teachers (or whatever) are on your friend list and might tell.
momof4 at March 12, 2012 6:24 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/03/12/the_police_stat.html#comment-3063167">comment from momof4Thought about you, momof4, as I was posting this, because you seem protective of your kids in very smart ways.
Amy Alkon at March 12, 2012 6:31 AM
The people of America just do not care anymore if
it does not effect them. As long as they have their
cocoon of (false) security then all is well. I've
studied history, especially totalitarian forms of
government, all my life. And we are fast heading
to become one if not already.....I've got my uniform, do you have yours? Sieg Heil!
Captain Harley at March 12, 2012 6:43 AM
Considering that the schools either have their own police departments or get the local law involved, the only practical guidance parents can offer there children is 'Not To Speak' with school staff or the law unless a parent/lawyer or both are present. Your child will be held, threatened, and potentially arrested for failing to cooperate. I realize this approach is far from ideal, but I don't see any other way for them to protect themselves.
nuzltr2 at March 12, 2012 6:45 AM
Nuz, that's always been my policy. School officials have always known they are not to speak to my child about anything unless they call me first. I will make the decision whether or not it's a conversation that requires my presence. Because my daughter dresses in "alternative" styles and has a mohawk, she's been a watched a little more closely than the "normal" kids so I've had to be hyper vigilant when it comes to her. Thank goodness she's my youngest and a senior this year.
sara at March 12, 2012 7:30 AM
Many years ago my son started a conversation by saying "Hey Dad the school said I did not need tell you this but ..."
I had a heart to heart talk with him and my ex but it did not sink in until he actually experienced things for himself.
Unfortunately the urban lifestyle strips any thought of taking responsibility for your own/family's safety/well-being.
I am beginning to believe that the best advice to give a young couple starting out is to get your own health policy, your own financial advisor, and find a lawyer.
Bob in Texas at March 12, 2012 7:34 AM
This is actually a really hard question to answer. The 13 year old daughter of a friend of mine was being harassed on FB and it followed her into the school. The harasser started a post about what a big lying slut this girl ( not true btw) was and encouraged others to get on board. This made it hard for the victim to attend school. Employers are responsible for creating non hostile work spaces, but what about schools? What makes this problematic is that usually the inciting incident is something on Facebook that was posted during non school hours. That being said, I would not allow the school to question or search my child without my presence. I have already told her that her only response to such requests is to stand firm and ask to speak to me first.
Sheepymommy at March 12, 2012 7:44 AM
Sheepy, I would recommend that you have the school put the directive in your daughter's permanent file, as well as in their computer system. Do you really trust the school administrators not to coerce your daughter into discussing something with her? I didn't, which is why there were notes and flags all over my kids' school records. Even the guidance counselors called me for permission before calling my daughters in to discuss credits, prepping for college, etc.
sara at March 12, 2012 9:24 AM
If I had it to do over, I would not send my children to public schools.
MarkD at March 12, 2012 11:15 AM
There are just too many reasons not to be on Facebook....not the least of which is ID theft.
Did you know some people won't HIRE you unless you HAVE a Facebook account??
lenona at March 12, 2012 12:06 PM
So what really is the greater outrage? That a girl was forced into surredering her civil rights and punished for the privilage? or that had she spoken the word at school that she wrote at home they wouldnt have had any grounds to 'punish' her?
lujlp at March 12, 2012 12:27 PM
Meh, we really have no right to complain anymore. The gov makes school mandatory and taxes folks to pay for it. On school grounds, for most situations, the school admins are the parents.
Cases like these are why I always laugh when teachers etc. place blame for failing students on bad parenting. Sure bad parenting is a problem but the schools/gov have promoted this situation themselves.
Sio at March 12, 2012 1:04 PM
I agree w/sara.
We resolved/prevented lots of problems with local hospitals when we "red-flagged" my daughter's file with a notice that all tests and all doctor discussions went through us and/or a single doctor that agreed to be our representative.
This stopped a lot unnecessary stuff and worry on our part as our "doctor" helped us 'not sweat the small stuff', stopped painful tests being done w/o us present, and put us back in the drivers seat.
No reason why this should not work at school.
Bob in Texas at March 12, 2012 2:50 PM
Student who used pepper spray in fight faces expulsion; suspensions issued to others involved:
Okay, let me get this straight, the girl who was being jumped by two other girls and uses pepper spray to defend herself is going to be expelled. The two, who did the jumping, are going to just be suspended.
This is like giving probation to two people I clearly shot in my house, and being charged with attempted murder.
If I was the girl, or her parents, I would try to get the ones who attacked her charged with assault with intent to do bodily harm, etc. Especially since Michigan has the Castle Doctrine as law.
Jim P. at March 12, 2012 9:07 PM
From the article:
"A spokesman for the school district said: "The district is confident that once all facts come to light, the district's conduct will be found to be reasonable and appropriate."
All the facts should have been established before punishment was dealt. Not to mention, school officials should not have needed to access her fb page directly. There was a complaining student, have that student display their page, especially if said student was upset enough about comments to take the info to the school.
I don't think the complaining student should have been forced to give up their password, either. But if they feel strongly enough about the issue to complain about it, most likely in the hopes of RS being punished, then it is their duty to provide the "proof" of the transgression.
Jazzhands at March 13, 2012 8:23 AM
It finally happened: I'm actually siding with the ACLU! They are dead right on this one.
mpetrie98 at March 13, 2012 2:16 PM
Student who used pepper spray in fight faces expulsion; suspensions issued to others involved:
The Publik Skrool system does not like it when students fight back. I've heard of such things time and time again. Kid gets bullied and finally punches out one of his tormentors, he suddenly is facing criminal charges.
mpetrie98 at March 13, 2012 2:29 PM
In addition to being anti-union, examples such as this are why I taught in a private school when I lived in CA. Now that I am living in MA, I intend to go back into teaching eventually, again only private, because MA is almost as nutty (if not more) as CA on the zero-tolerance issues.
MsMarg at March 13, 2012 3:09 PM
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