As a teacher, I am wondering why schools are wasting their time punishing students for things they do outside of school. That should be the parents’ responsibility!

And a response to ZCT…spend some time as a substitute teacher before you bash our educational system! We have a very difficult job to do with huge budget cuts, large class sizes, and parents who send their kids to school without breakfast, school supplies, or a respect for education (if they even show up at all). The problem is not the schools. In many cases, the problems are at home!

My first thought would be if it were a public or private school; a private school might have a clause about “proper behavior outside of the school.” Beyond that it’s kind of murky. People sometimes argue that if you are under 18 the Constitution applies a bit differently to you. (Try posting this same question over in the Law & Ethics area and see what you get). People can be kicked out of school over other illegal activities, someone under investigation might be kept out of the classroom; maybe they said something else.

Finally, as is often the case, there may be more to the story. It’s not uncommon for a broad one-sided rumor to turn into a horrific conspiracy at school. I remember a kid from school that broke a leg jumping over a fence while running away from the cops that pulled him over for (under age) drunk driving. The next day at school the “facts” were that he was pulled over for no reason and became the victim of a random police beating that was so brutal he was in a coma.

Of course it has nothing to do with the school. What you publish on the Internet outside of school hours has nothing to do with them. But some schools have educators who are not really educators, but ******* who cannot get a real job. These people have nothing better to do than worry about crap like this.

Let me tell you, America is slipping when it comes to education. Our country recently announced that they would no longer compete in international math and science competitions because our children are not good enough to compete on the world stage. This is a very scary situation. Consider too our adult literacy rate, which is losing ground internationally too.

When students are leaving school unable to read or write, and have no real understanding of math and science, it is despicable that these wannabe teachers are wasting their time scouring face book and presumably other parts of the Internet to censor students, rather than using that same time and effort to educate and improve.

All that said, if it is a private school they are basically running a business. People who identify themselves as being from a private school and then act like morons does potentially affect their status, so they have a right to protect that. All that said, it still sounds a bit draconian suspending students for what they do in their free time. Especially when all we are talking about is some cussing.

Was it directed at any of the other students? I don’t believe in censorship, but I also believe that people have the right to live without becoming a target by jerks that think they’re above everyone else. So if you were just cursing in general and not singling out other students at your school, you should take it to the school board. If you were slamming other kids, you’re lucky the police didn’t get involved.

IF the use of COARSE language, (COURSE language would be terminology applicable to the course of instruction in a particular subject) occured OFF-campus, was done on computers NOT the property of the school district, and the subject was NOT the school or it’s faculty or students, then the school is grossly overstepping legal boundaries, and suit can be brought against them for such. While I do not advocate the casual use of epithetiary, especially by children, and would strongly support a bit of parental washing of the childs mouth with soap, alum, or cream of tartar, what is stated to have been done by the school is illegal

IT SERVES THE DIPSHITS RIGHT FOR USING THEIR REAL NAMES AND REAL PICTURES ON TEH INTARWEB.

WOULD YOU PRINT OUT PICTURES OF YOURSELF WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ON THE PICTURES AND WRITE “I HATE ******” (OR ANYTHING OFFENSIVE) ON IT AND PASS THEM OUT THROUGHOUT YOUR TOWN? HOW DUMB IS THAT??/ WELL TEH INTARWEB IS THE MOST PUBLIC PLACE OF ALL. IF YOU MUST ACT LIKE AN IDIOT STAY ANONYMOUS. SO OF COURSE THEY SHOULD BE PUNISHED; ITS A SHAME THEIR PARENTS DIDN’T DO IT SOONER.