Slashdot Mirror
Cyberbullying Laws Raise Free Speech Questions
Chad_DeVoss writes "States across the country are working on laws to rein in cyberbullying, claiming that electronic harassment has led even to the suicides of some children. But what about the First Amendment? Surely schools can't control what kids say to one another? It's an easy argument to make, but the reality is more complicated. From the article: 'The issue is further complicated by questions about whether cyberbullying takes place on school property or not. School officials do not generally have control over what students do outside of school, but, as the First Amendment Center reports, even this issue is complicated. Students who threaten or harass other students using school equipment or during school time can most likely be sanctioned, but even students who do such things from home face the possibility of school discipline under the 'substantial disruption of the educational environment' ruling from the Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District case from 1969.'"
Sticks and stones may break my bones but names can never harm me.
Bullying is physical and threatening, 'cyber bullying' isn't. These are victim culture laws, make a law that puts self declared 'victims' at an advantage and everyone will claim to be a victim.
Miss, Miss, he's looking at me funny.
Miss, Miss, Tony said I was a panty sniffer on the internet.
Miss, Miss I got modded down in Slashdot and now I'm not feeling so happy.
Being too weak to cope with life's ruff and tumble is not a good thing. If you're such a pussy that harsh words make you commit suicide then you're designed to die, you'd die at your first tax audit, your first dump from a cute girl, your first sacking from a job, you first disagreement with anyone.
Trying to make the world a fluffy safe place for deficient kids would be a disaster. They go out into the real world and fall apart.
I agree with you completely. One of the things that is broken in our system is that the parents undermine everything, sue over everything, and don't accept that you're a professional when you teach.
When my dad was in school if he got in trouble at school his parents would give him trouble at home. Now it's "I'm going to go in and have a talk with your teacher to try and straighten this out."
SRSLY.