Punished for Becoming a ‘Fan’ on Facebook: Fair or Unfair?

What ever happened to freedom of speech? I am sure teachers discuss students and their behavior and that is suppose to be acceptable.

It is none of the school’s business what students do in the privacy of their own homes. Even if it was an outright lie, that is between the teacher & the student, not the school.

It is every bit of the school’s business. There is absolutely no respect or limits set for many kids these days. That will eventually work against them as they become adults. Adults can see that, kids can’t. There have been times when, growing up, I could have never understood the reason for things that were there that eventually helped me. A Midwestern public school system I understand is teaching etiquette and manners. I think that is a wise idea.

This conduct took place in a student’s home and not on school grounds. Therefore, shouldn’t this be a matter of parental discipline–or are we allowing the schools to do the job that the parents should do.
It’s totally acceptable for the school to send home letters–and if the speech was slanderous or sexual in nature the teacher has a right to pursue legal remedies but this is not the school’s place.
I don’t think this is a matter of freedom of speech so much as over reaching government control of a parent’s right to discipline (or not) their child.
Had this been posted on a school computer, that would be different, but I suspect faceebook is blocked on their servers.

There is always a little bit of truth mixed in with the lies from both sides or vice versa.

“This conduct took place in a student’s home and not on school grounds. Therefore, shouldn’t this be a matter of parental discipline–or are we allowing the schools to do the job that the parents should do.
It’s totally acceptable for the school to send home letters–and if the speech was slanderous or sexual in nature the teacher has a right to pursue legal remedies but this is not the school’s place.”
I completely agree with you there, however, in those letters sent home to the parents the school should mention the teacher may pursue legal actions whether or not the parents decide to discipline.
“I don’t think this is a matter of freedom of speech so much as over reaching government control of a parent’s right to discipline (or not) their child.”
Not sure what you mean here.
“Had this been posted on a school computer, that would be different, but I suspect faceebook is blocked on their servers.”
It depends on the school district as well as the school itself. Some do and some do not have facebook blocked.
A few closing comments though; teachers are arguably the most underrated profession. They deserve respect inside and outside of the classroom and kids this age have no right to slander a teacher over an internet site in which anyone can see. Ridiculous, and the student deserves to be punished.

was it really slander, or was it just a fan page for a hot teacher? you all know kids would talk about the hot teachers at the school in the hallways, this isn’t much different

These students rights were denied and they were punished for it. I disagree with the schools decision. If the teacher would use as much energy trying to get the kids to understand her instead of creating a wall between them, she might not have been attacked.
If the statements made on the page were true and could be backed up. I so go kids. Government, no matter which level needs to mind their own business.

If these kids stood in a friends bedroom and said this stuff I’d say it was overkill. But they put it out in public. And once you put it out there it changes the argument. I do not wish to live in a world where bratty kids can slander any teacher they choose on any sort of technology. These punishments were reasonable. The parents are wrong to take this where they are.

Egad..students making fun of their teacher?
OK, seriously, this has been going as long as teachers and students have existed.
Don’t the teachers and the school board have anything else to do than worry about?
This is petty.
Yes, the students do have freedom of speech.
Just watch. 10 more pages will pop up.
They actually punished all the kids who became fans of the page? What very small minds that we have at work.
It isn’t the kids who need to grow up.

What ever happened to freedom of speech? I am sure teachers discuss students and their behavior and that is suppose to be acceptable.
Posted by: Deanna
But if the teachers do discuss their students, it is not posted online for everyone to see. And freedom of speech does not allow you to make threats or make up things about people.

If this is s public school system, you always have the right to take your student to a private school system. They are always looking for students who can pay for their educaion and have parents firmly in place to help in the school. Stop crying and get back to work.

“Melvin said the decision to punish the students was intended to teach discipline and respect.” One does not teach respect. It is earned and given.

This article really doesn’t explain what was said. Was it a threat or just someone blowing steam over a teacher that probably doesn’t have a clue? Because there are teachers out there that don’t have a clue even if it were handed to them. And what do they mean sexual in nature? How do you know this teacher wasn’t the one that started it and the kid was using it to get a message out there? Seems more and more teachers in the news are going down that dark path. How do you know that the teacher can be trusted and this isn’t a way for them to try to cover their butt?
Last I checked everyone born in this country has the same rights no matter what their age. Freedom of speech is just that. Our right to say what we think without fear of prosecution. Although everyone out there is looking at the “ME” factor and what does this does that affects me and what they can do to get even.
Parents should be the ones teaching their kids respect. If a problem is discovered, don’t you think it would be fair for all parties (teacher, parents and students alike) to sit and discuss what led to this in the first place? Maybe learn something and even try to come up with a fair and non bias resolution where you can teach on how to do the right thing? I think schools are forgetting they are teaching institutions with both positive and even negative actions will influence students. Wouldn’t you rather schools teach positive solutions vs. negative ones and show how to communicate, debate and then try to get results? Seems finger pointing is just a way for people to distort the truth and break down all lines of communication.
People make mistakes, kids and adults alike. It is how you handle them and learn from that makes you a better person.
As far as suing, this country would rather sue it way out of a problem than work it out because of what they can get out it, again pointing to the “ME” factor. Remember kids are kids and will test their limits no matter what. As adults, we need to be able to teach them how to do things the right way, weather in the school or the home. But seems people forget that or just don’t care anymore.
By the way, who is the judge and jury that handed down their sentence and punishment and what qualifications do they have that gives them that right? If you are not a judge, and that were my kid I would tell you to place your punishment where the sun don’t shine.

The faculty and staff in school systems have many responsibilities to teach things that used to be taught at home: discipline, manners, appropriate behavior, eating habits, parenting (for all of those schools that now have daycares because the school’s sex ed. program wasn’t good enough and it is why the boy and girl engaged in sexual activity),etc. The boundaries on what a school “teaches” and what was meant to be taught at home are blurred. The responsibility falls on the school. If the students created a Facebook page and placed insulting remarks about another student, the school would be responsible and the police called. When the school has to support and protect one of their own, then it suddenly becomes the parent’s responsibility. Part of what concerns me is if the page had comments as bad as the media is implying, the teacher could easily lose her job because the student is always right. Students have no idea that there words/actions can cause damaging effects that could be permanent, such as loss of certification. By the time the parent steps up appropriately the damage is done to the teacher.

As many people have said, I think the school has no right to punish the kid who created the fan page and all the kids that became fans of the page too. It was done off school grounds, in the privacy of the kids home. If anyone would should be punishing this student it should be the parents of the the child that created the facebook fan page.I’ve had teachers talk to me about other students, me being a student myself only at the age of 13. Teachers can talk about students behavoir and not be looked down apon but when students talk about teachers and their teaching habbits it’s suddenly a big deal.

I have taught for thirty years and things have really changed. As a teacher with standards, who must help my students pass state exams in order to graduate, my classroom is a place of civility and safety. No one has the right to destroy my professional reputation, and that includes students who “want to have fun” and don’t want to do the work. Public schools have become social clubs, where the “cool” teachers let the students say and do whatever they want, regardless of who it damaged. And yes, these “cool” teachers allow students to defame and slander other students, teachers, and administrators. It has happened to me.
It is not OK for another person to take away my good name. I try to teach this concept through literature, but alas, sometimes it doesn’t work.

Good grief, do people feel they have the right to be mean? Let’s make the world a better place.

I’ve heard a lot of talk about using proxy sites to access facebook. Sometimes proxy sites get blacklisted because of their size and popularity,
-Mark

As a teacher who had a hate page put up by students on Facebook, no matter what the comments, it does place a stigma on your name. Not only that, anytime anyone searches my last name, it comes up. My family name has a stigma against it because a student created a page due to the fact he did not like an assignment I assigned. He was told by my administration he had every right to have the page because of freedom of speech. Could I as a teacher make a page about a student? No, I’d be fired. Not that I would make a page. Students do not understand the impact these pages have on people. If you think it is thin skin, become a teacher. Have one student make a hate page about you and then you tell me how you would feel. I work hard for my students and I get little pay. I did not go into teaching for the pay, I did it for the fact I could educate others. I work 80+ hours a week to create a loving and engaging environment, so to have a student hate what I’ve created is hurtful. It would be like me handing back a paper to a student and saying, “I hate your writing.” Speaking about a teacher is one thing, but putting it out there in writing is another. Who is protecting the teachers? Certainly not administration and certainly not the parents. If students believe they can get away with this, then why teach them? Apparently, morals and ethics are not held as high as they were when I was a student. If there isn’t a consequence, then what are we teaching our future society? Everytime you don’t like something, use slander as your defense mechanism. That’s certainly what my student learned. It wasn’t the school who punished him, it was his parents. Thankfully, he has caring parents who want their son to learn from his mistake and not be ignorant. The ignorant people are those who think these sites are ok. I would rather have a class full of illiterate students than students who have the ability to learn and just choose ignorance.