Kids facing suspension in Tauton over Facebook photo

[DarthRevan]

I'm only one drink into tonight and now I'm too mad to think straight.

 

[Bill Katt]

Omg I'm having a blast trolling that fb comment section

OMG I can't handle any more of the insanity on that page.

blah blah implied threat blah blah gunz bad blah blah threat threat gunz bad blah blah

 

[PaulD]

when i was in high school they tried to pull some similar bullshit with me over a personal webpage i ran.

i told them to take their complaint and fold it up until it's all corners and then to sit on it.

granted i never GAF about getting suspended.

To be fair though, you've been suspended over other web content as well.



Anyway...

It would be nice to see the ACLU put their money where their mouth is on this.

 

[pastera]

Dropping a few comments - If the school punished them for the reaction of others to the perception of firearms, wouldn't FRB v. Simkin be applicable? The decision clearly states the reaction of others to lawful action is not a reason to punish someone.

 

[Kevin_NH]

So you as a parent would be ok with your child being placed in an office and being questioned by a school administrator with out you present? You don't think that was inappropriate behavior on the schools part...then calling police to again question them with out you present is not inappropriate?

Inappropriate? Yes. Illegal? No.

 

[Snora]

I'm going to hold off for a full story before commenting because too much stupidity is happening on both sides. Pro tips include: Kids at school don't have full constitutional rights (1st and 4th come to mind) and posting on social media is no longer a "I can do whatever I want on my own time" defense.

 

[Pudge]

Wtf is wrong with this world

 

[DarthRevan]

I'm going to hold off for a full story before commenting because too much stupidity is happening on both sides. Pro tips include: Kids at school don't have full constitutional rights (1st and 4th come to mind) and posting on social media is no longer a "I can do whatever I want on my own time" defense.

Only if you let someone tell you it isn't.

 

[MetalgodZ]

[

here you go. Photo doesn't bother me in the least but to reference a school event with all these crazy liberals around is kinda dumb!

Actually, that is more tame than I thought it'd be. He says ”Homecoming 2014," not "headed to homecoming" or some such. Maybe slightly poor judgment, but definite overreaction and wholly inappropriate response by the school.

 

[nhpoke]

I'm going to hold off for a full story before commenting because too much stupidity is happening on both sides. Pro tips include: Kids at school don't have full constitutional rights (1st and 4th come to mind) and posting on social media is no longer a "I can do whatever I want on my own time" defense.

How about 5th? They still have that, right? Violated if the reports are true that they were (held, separated and) questioned by police without being informed of their rights or approval of the parents.

There are curtailments of rights at school. Unfortunately the issue is that the thing that happened didn't happen at school. Schools can limit "free speech" at school (you can't wear that shirt, you can say that in school), they are not allowed to punish or curtail free speech that occurs outside the school.

It is also true that the 4th amendment doesn't apply to things like school lockers or desks, but that the child's person and personal belonging (backpack for example if it isn't in the locker, pockets, etc.) require reasonable grounds to conduct the search. For ME the fact that there is a picture of a kid holding an airsoft rifle is not reasonable grounds to conduct a search of the person 3 days later.

 

[Win]

Cute couple. Nice pic.

 

[GM-GUY]

So you as a parent would be ok with your child being placed in an office and being questioned by a school administrator with out you present? You don't think that was inappropriate behavior on the schools part...then calling police to again question them with out you present is not inappropriate?

I have made sure my kids (and will remind them again today after this story) that if they are ever called to the office - SAY NOTHING other than "Call my dad". I don't care if it's the principal, teacher or police - SAY NOTHING other than "Call my dad". If they won't, tell them you are sick; if they still won't, puke on their desk.

The school administration can and will get kids to sign all manner of things - some that will follow them for the rest of their lives.

 

[Shovelheddrew]

I remember bringing my shotguns to school at the request and knowledge of the Principal. It was for a play and I had to remove the firing pins.

 

[robjax]

The only way I can possibly see that the school has any possible authority to suspend these kids would be (and I think it's a stretch because what they did is not illegal at all whatsoever) is if they posted the pic from a school computer. Then and only then and as I said I still think that is a stretch.....of course obviously barring any possibility for threats and such...so as long as that wasn't the point then I hold my position.

The parents who complained and the school staff are idiots. The liberal kool aid flows freely for all to drink in Massachusetts.

 

[DispositionMatrix]

Administrators had the _opportunity_ to feign being threatened by the caption to create a "gun violence"/fearmongering PR issue. They were not going to pass that up. MA is a lost cause.

 

[OfficerObie59]

My take was that the kids used a lack of judgement in posting the pic with the "Homecoming 2014" caption, but newsflash: They're teenagers, who often display a lack of judgment--it's called growing up. Should it have been looked into by the school and maybe even the police? Sure, absolutely. But once they realized it was harmless, that should've been the end of it, no harm no foul.

[Bristol-Plymouth Superintendent Richard Gross] said the pair were suspended Monday when it was brought to the attention of school officials that news of the photo was creating “a disruption” among other students.

Bullshit. The only thing that caused a disruption was the school's overreaction.

 

[robjax]

Are you effing kidding me...I just heard on the news that the kids and parents will meet with the principle today where it will be determined if the kids are to be expelled.

 

[robjax]

If they do that with out a lawyer, Then the parents are just plain stupid. The parents are letting the principle lead, The parents need to go on the attack (Legally) and put the principle on the defense.

I cannot even belive they are contemplating expulsion. But you are right. They should hire an attorney. My god, it was just a picture and as the boy pointed out, that was done on Friday, the dance was Friday night and they got suspended on Monday. So there was no threat before, during or after the dance. This is all political agenda and nothing else. They couldn't care less about the safety of the students. These kids may have used bad judgement in some people's eyes but the last I heard that wasn't illegal.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Another advantage of keeping one's mouth shut -

Suppose the kids had refused to talk without a parent, and the parent said "yeah, we both maintain that Facebook page. In fact, the kid wasn't even the one who posted the photo".

 

[AngelKing]

My take was that the kids used a lack of judgement in posting the pic with the "Homecoming 2014" caption, but newsflash: They're teenagers, who often display a lack of judgment--it's called growing up. Should it have been looked into by the school and maybe even the police? Sure, absolutely. But once they realized it was harmless, that should've been the end of it, no harm no foul.

Bullshit. The only thing that caused a disruption was the school's overreaction.

THIS! and reading the commentary on sites like WCVB, the idiot lemming ****s out there are all saying, "yes, they did nothing wrong.....BUT they need to be punished anyway.'

What in ****S name makes that a sensible argument? Yes, I get it, schools are hypersensitive these days, but their "story" checks out, not as if it needed to be checked out. Where the **** is the ****ing ACLU on this very OBVIOUS free speech case? These admins and yeah, the Taunton PD ought to be BEGGING for them to come back to school, apologize publically and paying their tuitions to ****ing Stamford!

Sorry, I think I went way over my saying **** quota for the day.

 

[SpaceCritter]

Sorry, I think I went way over my saying **** quota for the day.

A few more for good measure:

****ity **** **** ****stick.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I cannot even belive they are contemplating expulsion.

By threatening expulsion, the school is attempting to shift the shitstorm from parents complaining about the misadventure by the school officials to "please, we apologize and admit what we did was wrong, please let the kid stay in school."

It's working - they already have one of the kids saying "we know that taking a photo with guns was wrong".

 

[Matt_SERE]

Read this, read it again.

Another advantage of keeping one's mouth shut -

Suppose the kids had refused to talk without a parent, and the parent said "yeah, we both maintain that Facebook page. In fact, the kid wasn't even the one who posted the photo".

When you explain this to people they look at you with deer in the headlight eyes and then say "never thought of it like that". Nice example. +1

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Read this, read it again.



When you explain this to people they look at you with deer in the headlight eyes and then say "never thought of it like that". Nice example. +1

Of course, I would never advocating making such a claim unless it were true.

 

[dennism]

Read this, read it again.

When you explain this to people they look at you with deer in the headlight eyes and then say "never thought of it like that". Nice example. +1

These are kids tho, this is why it is illegal to question kids without parents present.

 

[Mountain]

This is really funny, as in odd funny...

They wouldn't have that problem in my town. Hell, I don't even get a phone call from our school when my son's lunch table group was threatened to be shot by a messed up kid with a vendetta against one of them. They didn't even call the parents of the kid who alerted them to the threat. Behind my kid's door I found a baseball bat & his compound bow w/ arrows & asked him what's up- that's how I found out. That was his version of home defense weapons in case I was out of town, LOL. Damn kids won't tell you crap. Needless to say, I had interesting conversations with the school and local PD. I guess parents don't make the 'need to know' list. I'll never be a critic of the homeschool crowd, that's for sure!

 

[Matt_SERE]

Of course, I would never advocating making such a claim unless it were true.

Of course Rob.

My sloppy point was if the children do the bolded part then the rest is up to the parent. (keeping one's mouth shut )

Also I do hope that parents are monitoring their children's' social pages.

Matt

 

[Neverknowsbest]

They are getting destroyed on FB, also left a negative review for them.

 

[warwickben]

They are getting destroyed on FB, also left a negative review for them.

Link?

 

[the_shootist]

How about this idea? Anyone who complains about this type of stuff without merit and legal evidence to support their objection will be shot on the spot. I'll bet that will silence a lot of the pansies that are so quick to whine about these things! But that's just me, I'm a no nonsense kind of guy!