Good news for all parents out there that think the school system is responsible for raising their children
Principal curbs kids' Internet activity
For their own good? Or a violation of free speech?
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 10/24/05
BY LAURA BRUNO
GANNETT NEW JERSEY
When students post their faces, personal diaries and gossip on Web sites like Myspace.com and Xanga.com, it is not simply harmless teen fun, according to one Sussex County Catholic school principal.
It's an open invitation to predators and an activity that Pope John XIII Regional High School in Sparta will no longer tolerate, the Rev. Kieran McHugh told a packed assembly of 900 high school students two weeks ago.
Effective immediately, and over student complaints, the teens were told to dismantle their Myspace.com accounts or similar sites with personal profiles and blogs. Defy the order and face suspension, students were told.
While public and private schools routinely block access to noneducational Web sites on school computers, Pope John's order reaches into students' homes.
The primary impetus behind the ban is to protect students, McHugh said. The Web sites, popular forums for students to blog about their lives and feelings about their teachers and schools, are fertile ground for sexual predators to gather information about children, he said.
Students, who asked to remain anonymous out of concern for disciplinary action, said the majority of the student body protested the new rule. They tried to argue that they have freedom of speech and the school should not control what they do at home.
"The idea of a private school regulating student activity outside of school is not unheard of and there is a long tradition in it," said Kevin Bankston, staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a San-Francisco-based defender of online civil liberties.
While Pope John's school handbook does not specifically forbid students from creating personal profiles on Web sites, it does prohibit students from posting anything on the Internet pertaining to the school, without the school's permission.
"It's an incredible overreaction based on an unproven problem," Bankston said. "If they're concerned about safety, they could train students in what they should or shouldn't put online. Kids shouldn't be robbed of the primary communication tool of their generation."
Bankston said he believes the real motivation for school officials was to suppress negative comments about the school posted by students.
One student, who identified himself as a senior who was expelled, wrote that "pope john kicks you out once you think freely."
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7 comments:
That's very interesting Shawn and I think it's a good idea.
Are you Waldo for TV's Family Matters?
I've got mixed views on this. I think the one that weighs out more, is that the school should only be able to control the sites from the school.
I don't know if you remember this about me, but I teach at the high school level. I sub for most classes and a lot of teachers allow the students computer access after a lesson is done. Often it's used as an incentive to get a project completed. I've seen some of these kids sights (blogs) and it's scary. Honest. Pictures, names, the towns and the schools name. It allows such easy pickings for predators, the kids just have no idea.
Unfortunately, at home, the kids are rarely monitored. Computers have became the babysitter that t.v. use to be. If it takes the threat of the kids school to keep them at a safer level, then...okay. Better than the alternative. Perhaps, if nothing else, it will help the kid to disguise themselves by not posting the personal information that leads the sick directly to their door.
Good topic, thanks Shawn. Do you mind if I bring attention to it on my blog with directions over here?
Hugs.
I think they need to restrict access to those sites at the school, and require online safety to be a part of the computer courses before they ever let them touch a computer there. Perhaps assign them logins that they do not receive until they've passed the safety test, so that their activity can be monitored going forward. Anything beyond that is a parental issue.
We tend to merge rights and responsibilities as one thing.
While I completely believe in the 1s ammendment (and the rest of them too) I understand that it is our responsibility to keep our ammendments from hurting our society. Everything in moderation, right?
When they are older and better equipped with reason and logic we can turn the kiddos loose on the net.
Kathi - I agree with you in regard to the school's control not extending beyond the school site. It may seem harsh but it's the parent's responsibility to monitor their children's activities, including internet usage, at home.
I've seen a few of those myspaces pages. I don't know why these kids reveal so much about themselves. I stumbled onto a 15 year old's site by chance surfing blogger one day and I felt dirty reading the few lines that I did read.
Ecletic - Seems like a good idea to restrict access to all of those kinds of sites on school computers. And a short assembly, in regards to internet safety sounds like a great idea to me.
greg/cowboy - The school shouldn't be able dictate what it's students can or can not do at home. I believe they should educate parents and students on smart internet usage and leave it at that.
It's almost like banning cigarette smoking outside on the school grounds.
Fine. They can't smoke there any longer. (this was how it was for me back when I was in high school)
When they go home though---it needs to be monitored by the parents or guardians. The school has no say after they walk off school property.
I do think it is very sad that kids aren't taking this internet stuff seriously. There are predators out there lurking all the time---but most of these kids who get 'caught' by these pedophiles, are the ones who chat with them.
I think chat is more harmful than a dinky website. Kids tend to tell a bit too much, thinking the person on the other side is only a few years older than they are. that's what scares me!
Great post---
There are areas that schools do have some say over a student outside the school. I know that if an athlete is seen smoking, regardless of when or where, they're penalized or removed from the team. When a kid is busted for alcohol or dope, they're removed from the general school population and put in ISS or a alternative school. I wish the parents were accountable, but they're not always. Sorry, if it takes the school to raise a kid, I'm going to have to say 'go for it'.
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