First Amendment experts weigh in on whether schools can suspend students for social media [View all]

[NaturalHigh]

First Amendment experts weighing in on recent school suspensions in relation to social media activity say it is difficult, given current case law, to see how schools have the authority to suspend students for speech that took place off campus.

Earlier this month, it was reported that a Sand Springs Public Schools high school senior was suspended from school after using a racial slur in a tweet about the recent Baltimore riots.

Also reported this month, 11 Booker T. Washington High School students were suspended after an incident involving vandalism, a gay slur and online posts. One student recorded another student vandalizing a poster promoting awareness about bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning students. That student then posted the images on the social media website Phhhoto with a caption that includes a gay slur. The nine additional students who were suspended had “liked” the online post.

The suspensions angered some parents. Tulsa Public Schools officials said the suspensions were needed to send a message against hate speech. School officials in Sand Springs said the tweet, although it was posted off-campus, had created a disruption at school, thus leading to the student’s suspension.


http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/education/first-amendment-experts-weigh-in-on-whether-schools-can-suspend/article_bddc7021-1fe6-5910-8a65-94a0f909a4b3.html