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Student Suspended Over IM Icon
Chris Reimer writes "C|Net News.com is reporting that a 15-year-old student lost a lawsuit over having an instant messenger icon that represented a death threat against an English teacher on his personal computer that another student reported to school authorities. From the article: 'His parents sued, claiming that the icon was protected by the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech, that the school district failed to train staff in proper threat assessment and that the school board violated state law in not following proper procedures. [The judge] Mordue rejected the free-speech claims.'"
It's the Return of the Question Nobody Wants Answered!
on topic: fuck that kid, he should get suspension, and instead of trying to weasel out of a perfectly legitimate suspension, those parents should be asking themselves why their boy is such a little shithead.
there is no need to sign your posts. this isn't usenet. your username is right there above your post. stop it.
You pretty much nailed it. A large number of people today misunderstand what Freedom of Speech actually means. It's the freedom to speak and not have the government censor you. The right does not extend to situations where someone else's rights may be endangered or limited in some way, like harassment or libel. In this case, the teacher's safety was under threat.
"Sufferin' succotash."