School Snoops Students' Facebook Myspace Pages

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:14 am

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/200 ... nsions.cnn

This irritates me. I was just reading about a town mayor who was asked to resign because she had lingerie photos up on Myspace. Now we have school staff in a wad because kids are seen drinking on their Facebook and Myspace photos. I think this is way too much Big Brother and I am shocked that ACLU is siding with the school on this. If I were a parent, I'd be yanking my kids out of school over this.

Chezzie · Post by **Chezzie** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:41 am

On the flipside if my "school age" children were drinking alcohol id be thanking the school for alerting me to it as I sure wouldnt be agreeing to it.

Sheryl · Post by **Sheryl** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:55 am

Nope don't see a problem with it. Besides bullying and drinking, those sites can be warnings for troubled students about to commit violence.

911 · Post by **911** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:52 pm

I don't know much about these places but if they are accessable to the public, then why should the schools be exempt from looking at them?

Suppose they encounter a teacher trying to hookup with one of the students? What if they come across a kid threatening to do something at the school or one of the kids?

But, I agree that the parents should have access to whatever their kids do on the computer. Our office offers, for free, an internet security program called 'Computer Cop' so that the parents can keep a check on their kids activities. Problem is, they don't 'have the time' or 'it's too much trouble' to keep up with their kids.

If I had kids in school, I would be checking out every my space page out there opened by the kids they go to school with.

If you don't want the world to know what you're doing, don't put it out there.

911 · Post by **911** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:13 pm

rjwould;756424 wrote: I think the difference is whether they are actively searching or investigating the students activity. It is one thing to come across information and an other to do research..

There is no difference when it comes to the safety of the school. Only what you think the school is allowed to do.

"To come across information" implies gossip.

To seek out information may imply research and not investigation. Students and parents 'research' the schools they wish to go to, given the opportunity. Why should the schools just accept them at face value? Schools, private schools, are becoming harder and harder to get into. Money isn't enough anymore. Parents want a safe enviroment for their children.

Given an opportunity, if a student is hurt at a school, the parents will sue that school for not paying enough attention. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. I say do it, keep the kids safe. Safe from themselves and others. This includes predators. They see enough of the pictures where these kids hang out and the next thing you know, they're stalking that place.

LilacDragon · Post by **LilacDragon** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:01 pm

rjwould;756394 wrote: I think Red's point ( and I agree with it) is this is not the schools function. This is the job of parents, let them look into their own kids activities. School was intended to TEACH children, not spy on them or be their guardians.

This is one of the most blatant of many problems regarding our public education system.

The problem with this is that too many parents DON'T care!! How many times have we seen schools shot up by students and their parents did have a clue???

Things have changed a lot in the 25 years since I went to high school. When I went to school, if someone was bullying you - you put dog **** in their locker or something creative like that. Nowdays, you take a loaded automatic weapon and just start shooting!

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:28 pm

rjwould;756498 wrote: That's why I think the system need fundamental reform.

When I was in school, fist fights were the norm but it has now escalated to weapons. Things are so competitive these days that disagreeing is not tolerated anymore. We see how vile talk radio and hysteria tv like msnbc, fox and cnn are, nobody gives an inch. In schools it's about who wins, and guns are more effective in fights than fists or knives. What have we been expecting to happen---everything would just get better if we ignored it long enough or threw more money at the problem?

While in 6th grade, my son was once told my a girl that if he refused to have sex with her, she would either beat him up herself or have her older brother do it.

My oldest daughter had been beaten up by 3 girls (5 others watched along with the boy) once after school because a boy liked her and she was new to the school. After the girls beat her up, they refused to permit her to go home and forced her to stay where they were and fixed up her hair for her.

It didn't take my wife and I long to understand the system is so broken that our children's safety was in jeopardy.

I have many horror stories relating to the school system involving both officials and students.
Mercy!! Where do you live? Baghdad?

grh · Post by **grh** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:00 pm

Stupid question or two for ya..

Does Myspace use real names?

How does the school know who is who?

Are these kids perhaps signing on at school and using the schools equipment?

Our employee handbook flat out states that any equipment owned by the company is intended to be used solely for business purposes and that personal and private business use is grounds for immediate dismissal and subject to monitoring by management without prior notice.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:14 pm

MySpace/Facebook is set up to the preferences the user makes-if the child puts their real name, it is there.

It is a parent's responsibility to monitor their children's computer usage, and what goes up there.

RJ, I am horrified to hear about your daughter. Schools are much more violent, and is more than a serious problem. And kudus to you and your beloved for homeschooling them. I am glad mine are grown.

Research for student's things on a webpage-some districts might be allowed to suspend students, for drinking, drugs, things listed in their conduct codes. Active research, spending alot of time on this, that is a waste of the educators time, which should be better spent. Administrator's doing it, ghads, they could spend their time doing much more useful things most of the time. I see enough of them, that never walk out of the office all day long to even see whats going on.

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:01 pm

rjwould;756394 wrote: I think Red's point ( and I agree with it) is this is not the schools function. This is the job of parents, let them look into their own kids activities. School was intended to TEACH children, not spy on them or be their guardians.

This is one of the most blatant of many problems regarding our public education system.

Thanks RJ, That's exactly what I was going on about.

grh · Post by **grh** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:41 pm

rjwould;756394 wrote: I think Red's point ( and I agree with it) is this is not the schools function. This is the job of parents, let them look into their own kids activities. School was intended to TEACH children, not spy on them or be their guardians.

This is one of the most blatant of many problems regarding our public education system.

Yeah and this is great in theory. Then a kid comes up missing because of some guy she met while cruising the net at school or the kids organize the party of the year while at school and on school computers and some kid dies in an accident...

Then I want to hear those same parents proclaiming that it is NOT the schools fault, because they shouldn't have to police the kids during the day.

I say block all but essential educational links on school computers and then anything that is done on myspace or anywhere else is ONLY the parents concern... unless of course they do it at the library... or a friends house..

Not to worry, there is always someone out there to be sued for something!:-6

Chezzie · Post by **Chezzie** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:38 am

rjwould;756649 wrote: Thats fair

yes it is, they shouldnt be able to access sites other than for resources to school work, when i was in college in 2001 we had very limited access to the net, no personal email accounts, no forums etc...just sites needed for course work.

History buff · Post by **History buff** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 4:22 am

RedGlitter;756370 wrote: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/200 ... nsions.cnn

This irritates me. I was just reading about a town mayor who was asked to resign because she had lingerie photos up on Myspace. Now we have school staff in a wad because kids are seen drinking on their Facebook and Myspace photos. I think this is way too much Big Brother and I am shocked that ACLU is siding with the school on this. If I were a parent, I'd be yanking my kids out of school over this.

The video states all the students were those engaged in extracurricular activities.

So on the heals of Suspicionless drug tests for student athletes, see Vernonia, the schools have a legal right to dictate outside drug/alcohol behavior of those who engage in school sponsored activites, whether it be Football or the Chess club. This is probably why the ACLU is quick to side with the school, and I am in agreement.

Student suspensions fall under the purview of the 14th AM's Due Process clause, so if a student is suspended, the govt., if challenged, MUST show cause of why!!

There is even case law, not sure about SCOTUS, that permits student discipline/suspensions for behavior even off school grounds, for NON athletes.