In loco parentis authority of school boards has been upheld to an embarrassing extent in other cases, so there's no guarantee that common sense will prevail.
This is in a neighboring school district to ours (Libertyville and Vernon Hills High Schools). What was shocking and upsetting was that only ONE parent voiced any opposition at the school board meeting, and the measure was passed in rubber-stamp fashion (shown on the evening news here). The kids are, of course, up in arms over free speech rights. The school board *claims* they won't be trolling the Web for violators, but no one believes that.
Generally, HS kids are, in fact, perfectly aware of the nature of the Web. They need education in intelligent (safe) surfing/posting, not threats of detention for posting pix and opinions the school board doesn't like. It's hard to imagine that it won't be used like tax laws, as a way to nail known troublemakers when the authorities lack evidence to make a case on the "real" offenses.
This measure is a bald-faced attempt to censor and censure, not to protect against online predators. But unless it's challenged, it will stand.
Where is the ACLU?
This is in a neighboring school district to ours (Libertyville and Vernon Hills High Schools). What was shocking and upsetting was that only ONE parent voiced any opposition at the school board meeting, and the measure was passed in rubber-stamp fashion (shown on the evening news here). The kids are, of course, up in arms over free speech rights. The school board *claims* they won't be trolling the Web for violators, but no one believes that.
Generally, HS kids are, in fact, perfectly aware of the nature of the Web. They need education in intelligent (safe) surfing/posting, not threats of detention for posting pix and opinions the school board doesn't like. It's hard to imagine that it won't be used like tax laws, as a way to nail known troublemakers when the authorities lack evidence to make a case on the "real" offenses.
This measure is a bald-faced attempt to censor and censure, not to protect against online predators. But unless it's challenged, it will stand.
Where is the ACLU?
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