We’ve seen two troubling incidents on local high school campuses in recent weeks.
Both came to public attention because of student cellphone videos circulating on social media.
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Joyce Terhaar Randall Benton rbenton@sacbee.com
One school suspended the student videographer. The other did not. The differing responses send a powerful message to students about how much our schools value public transparency and constitutional rights – likely a more memorable lesson than any taught in civics class.
The entire community should take note; we can’t be casual about the First Amendment.
The first incident was a wild brawl in the lunchroom at Florin High School. Principal Don Ross, who should be lauded for striding into the fray with little regard for personal safety, was body slammed to the floor before picking himself up to break up the fighting.
In the aftermath, though, the school suspended Tiana Johnson for recording the melee and posting it on YouTube. After a Bee story and public criticism, Johnson was allowed to return to school; by that time she had served two of her three days of suspension.
The second incident came four days later at McClatchy High School, on the Friday before Halloween. Students recorded teacher David Fritz wrestling a student out of his desk and to the floor, growling as he did it. Fritz was apparently dressed for the holiday, in a puffy red polka-dot hat and black shirt. After students alerted school officials, they placed Fritz on leave and called the police, who arrested him on a misdemeanor charge of willful cruelty toward a child. No one was suspended for posting the video.
These were very different situations, similar only in that they became publicly known through social media.
Today’s high school campuses often lack journalism classes, student newspapers or online student news sites, so the traditional way in which students reported the news or held officials accountable often doesn’t exist anymore.
Instead, most students have easy access to social media. And though it’s not the protected speech of a school paper, with that access still comes important constitutional rights.
Check out the First Amendment Center online for a primer. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that online speech “is entitled to the highest level of protection, on par with the print medium,” the center reports. In California we’re more protective of student rights than most states.
The California Education Code specifies that students in all public schools, including charter schools, “shall have the right to exercise freedom of speech and of the press.” The caveats are that they can’t be obscene, libelous or slanderous. They can’t incite fellow students to commit unlawful acts on school grounds or to violate lawful school regulations. And they can’t substantially disrupt the school.
Given all this, was it within the purview of the Elk Grove Unified School District to suspend Johnson? The Bee’s Loretta Kalb and Diana Lambert quoted media legal experts in our coverage who argue that Johnson’s actions clearly are protected activity.
Johnson’s video brought national attention to Florin High, even airing on “Inside Edition.” It appears she was suspended because she embarrassed the school, a perception solidified by Principal Ross’ public comments that her video was “hurtful” to students who are proud of Florin High.
School officials didn’t help themselves when they changed their reasoning for the suspension to safety concerns, an area that gives schools more legal protection to crack down on student activity. The suspension document focused on Johnson’s social media comments and her refusal to write a statement about her actions.
Part of California’s freedom-of-speech protections for students are framed around student journalists, even as journalism programs become scarce. Given that decline, it’s particularly important to remember these are broad rights.
Steve O’Donoghue, director of the California Scholastic Journalism Initiative, tracks data on journalism courses statewide through the State Department of Education. From the 2000-01 school year until 2012-13, the number of schools offering journalism classes dropped from 1,093 to 859. Almost 8,000 fewer students enrolled, to 26,298.
O’Donoghue, understandably, is passionate about the need for journalism education and the commitment to First Amendment rights in the schools. His program, funded by the Sacramento County Office of Education, works with students from 10 schools around the region. The teens publish a newspaper that is distributed on all the campuses.
Such programs matter. In 2008, the Newspaper Association of America Foundation released a study of more than 31,000 students who took the ACT college admission test and found that those in journalism programs earned significantly higher grade-point averages and scores on college entrance exams. Not surprisingly, they also had better writing and grammar skills. The “High School Journalism Matters” research was led by Jack Dvorak of Indiana University and confirmed similar results from two decades earlier.
That kind of academic result is one all schools should strive to achieve. But beyond the numbers, NAA senior vice president Margaret Vassilikos said at the time that foundation research showed journalism programs helped kids become more informed and involved citizens, and more active participants in our democratic process.
Those qualities in a young adult ensure a better future for everyone.
Well under half of registered voters bothered to vote in last year’s general election, a record low. It’s so bad that Gov. Jerry Brown last month signed a bill to automatically register to vote anyone who has a driver’s license or state identification card.
That’s a start. It makes people eligible, but it doesn’t teach individuals that voting is the first, fundamental step to protecting our democracy and all it stands for – including our constitutional rights. Schools teach us about democracy and cannot let their actions outweigh the lesson plans.
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ReplyDeleteHaving students display what is happening in schools is very important for creating a good school system. Faults should be displayed to communities, and often social media is the only way of students finding a solution. Having "freedom-of-speech protections for students are framed around student journalists" (Terhaar) aren't always solutions for student issues. Having freedom-of-speech laws based around everybody will create a safer, more secure environment for students to find issues in their schools.
ReplyDeleteLasse Nordahl Period 6
This article is a great example of how social media affects schools. The fight that broke out obviously had it's reasons, but the people who are bystanders make me the most agitated. Instead of trying to break up the fight, or calling out for help, these people have their phones out to record the 'entertainment'. "It appears she [Johnson] was suspended because she embarrassed the school" (Terhaar). I see how a situation like this can embarrass a school, but this contributing reason for the suspension is stupid. As a community/society, we need to stop being bystanders of situations like these and stop recording school fights then posting them to medias.
ReplyDeleteMarie Ong
Period 6
Paragraph 12 states" The California Education Code specifies that all students... shall have the right to exercise freedom of speech and of the press.” I was surprised when I heard the kid got suspended for posting the video of the fight on you tube. I understand the impact the video may have on the school but it looks worse when the school goes against the California Educational Code. But then again you could look at both sides and see that the kid (Tiana) could of dealt with the situation differently and not made for conflicts by posting the video.
ReplyDeleteZayne Beckman Per: 5
This article proves how much social media impacts our lives. The people who recorded the video shouldn’t have posted it online. Instead, they should’ve helped stop it. People should get consent to post videos online if someone is in it. This article stated that "It appears she [Johnson] was suspended because she embarrassed the school" (Terhaar). This article is an example of how social media can affect not only individual people, but bigger organizations such as schools.
ReplyDeleteOlivia Lasecke
Period 2
This article is a good example of how social media interferes with school. We use social media to learn and post what is going on in our community. In this situation where a video of a fight was posted, problems obviously arose with not only individuals, but the whole school. I think that filming the fight was inappropriate because when they could have been trying the break up the fight, they chose to film it for entertainment. Even if it was appropriate to film something, I think before posting anything, permission should be given from the people being filmed. This whole situation could have been avoided if things were not posted online.
ReplyDeleteHannah Miller, period 2
This article explains, in depth, how much social media interferes with our lives every day. If someone films an occurrence in a school that shouldn't be happening it is obvious that they are doing nothing to help stop this problem. If we are so attached to our phones today, how bad will it be in five years? The only realistic solution to this problem is to make serious efforts to decrease the amount of cell phone use. After doing this we can most likely expect an increase in better decisions.
ReplyDeleteThis article shows how much social media affects our high school life. First of all, the person who posted a video online shouldn't have. But second of all, they shouldn't be suspended for posting a video on what they see in school. If anyone ever sees something crazy, people always want to post it on the Internet. The school can't blame the students for posting something, all they can do is punish the people who started the "wild brawl"(Terhaar). I think it is unfair to punish the person who was just watching it.
ReplyDeleteCourtney Hulsing
Per 2.
This article is a good example of how social media can affect our lives every day. In the first incident, the student recorded the fight and posted it on social media and got suspended. I feel she should of gotten a punishment, but not as harsh as suspension. In the second fight, the student recorded the student and teacher fighting or wrestling, but didnt have a consequence. In my opinion, taking a video was a good idea, for evidence, but at the same time the person taking the video could of been help break up the fight rather than recording it.
ReplyDeleteThis article really expresses how much social media affects our everyday life. It is almost attacking our high school life. We really need to start restraining ourselves from social media and phone use because the problem is going to continue to get worse. I feel as if kids shouldnt be punished for stuff like posting a video of a fight at school, they should be more worried with the actual kids in the fight.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the way that both of the high schools handled these situations. I do believe that the suspension of the girl who posted the video of the fight was a fair punishment. I understand why the second student was not punished. The second student was recording and uncovering, somewhat of a social injustice.
ReplyDeleteSocial media has become a big problem in schools for these reasons. "In the aftermath, though, the school suspended Tiana Johnson for recording the melee and posting it on YouTube"(Terhaar). Students natural reaction to fights is not to break them up but to video tape it and see who wins so that they can post the video online. It is an awful habit that kids have to consistently be on their phones even when there is something serious and dangerous taking place.
ReplyDelete-Rhys Kennedy
Period 6
I think that both of these schools handled the situation well. I think that when a video is posted of kids fighting it shouldn't result in a severe punishment. I do think that they shouldn't post it. The article stated, "It appears that she was suspended because she embarrassed the school" (Terhaar). I think that is unfair to her, but this article shows how social media is constantly around us.
ReplyDeleteSocial media has taken over peoples lives. It has been ruining peoples lives but also to help. Both schools both did it right, the one was because the teacher was physically hurting a student while the other because the girl embarrassed the school. One can either make the right choice or the wrong choice. I have to say that even though electronics have played a helpful role in some parts but I think we would be better off when we did not have cellphones are any electronics. Everyone is to focused on their phone and not spending enough time with their love ones, hanging outside with friends, we all need to put the device down and look up from the screen.
ReplyDeleteWhenever a fight breaks out, the first thing the people are going to do is video tape the incident and share it with one or many people through social media. the situations were handled well but when the article states "It appears that she was suspended because she embarrassed the school." (Terhaar0 That is not the reason she should have been suspended but for the reason she posted this so everyone can see it. With this social media is taking over and everything is being put on it for everyone to see. P.2
ReplyDeleteI think that the schools handled the situations very well. "It appears that she was suspended because she embarrassed the school"(Terhaar). I myself would be embarresed to be going to that school because the rest of the community would think that my school is full people who do stuff like that. Social media is taking over a lot of people's lives and can help spread a fight like that reall quick. Suspending the person who posted it on YouTube was the right thing so it can make her see the embarresment from her school.
ReplyDeleteI believe it was wrong for both of those students to post the videos they took, but I think they should only be punished minimally. Social media has opened a new door of problems for schools, but they just don't quite know how to handle them yet, but they definitely need to make some new rules if they ever want to get it under control. The students who took videos of the fights and posted them, didn't technically do anything against the rules: "The caveats are that they can’t be obscene, libelous or slanderous. They can’t incite fellow students to commit unlawful acts on school grounds or to violate lawful school regulations. And they can’t substantially disrupt the school"(Terhaar). The students technically did not do anything wrong, so they did not have to be punished.
ReplyDeleteRenee Gibson, period 2
I believe that, like many of my peers, this is yet another situation in which social media has negatively affected students' school lives. I personally do not believe that the school handled the situation professionally. Suspending a student is a big deal and "embarrassing the school" is not a legitimate reason and made the school look unprofessional. If they were to suspend the student who took the video of the 2 students fighting, then the same rules should be applied for the student that took the video of the teacher abusing the student. Though I do not believe that either student should be suspended. Everybody has the right to post whatever they want and school and social media should not be intermixed.
ReplyDeleteSarah Moghaddam, period 1
Posting these videos that the students took were wrong. However, the schools handled it well as it states "It appears that she was suspended because she embarrassed the school" (Terhaar). It is common for kids to take a video, which I understand. Yet posting it is another deal that causes controversy and represents the school in a negative way.
ReplyDeleteI think this article really shows how much social media can impact our lives even at school. I think that this person never should've posted it online in the first place. Also others including this person should've stopped it. I do think that the school handled it well as it states "she was suspended as she embarrassed the school." I think stuff like this should be handled in that way, and even as teens and adults should cut back on social media especially at school.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Parker. I don't think that the student should have been suspended for taking the video, they should be suspended for filming it. It is an embarrassment to the school and she should have just shown it to the administration office instead of making it public and ruining the school's reputation.
ReplyDeleteThis article is just a look at what the social media could really do to anyone's lives. This shows people how easy it is for bad things to happen even when they don't think it will. The article shows though that these school have serious problems and actually suspended a kid for just taping the act. This school now has an absolutely terrible reputation and won't be recommended by many other people just for that one act. The school handled it okay but it still included even a teacher getting in the middle and could have gotten hurt.
ReplyDeleteIn this article, I do not think that the problem was filming the video. The problem was that the videos were posted. I understand why the first student was suspended for embarrassing the school. However, if they did not post the video they probably would not have been suspended in the first place. I do not think the other student was suspended because there were more important things to deal with such as the teacher getting arrested. Moral of the story: do not post stupid things on social media.
ReplyDeleteKyle Brown P.5
This article really shows you how hard it is to keep things confidential in this generation. It also shows how much social media affects the world. Suspendingthe student who recorded the kids fighting was imbecilic, because there most likely were 30 other kids who got it on video and is sending it to other people, But i suppose the schools are handling it well.
ReplyDeleteI personally do not think that the actual video taping of the incident was wrong. I think the problem with the whole situation is that the student posted it on social media. Posting stupid things on social media can affect your school life as well as your personal life. If the student filmed the video but did not post it they would not have been suspended, but since they did post it they got suspended. This just shows people a warning of how you shouldn't post stupid things on social media.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is important to allow students to express their opinions and not to have them suppressed in a sometimes unfair way. In this instance, I would say that Tiana Johnson was wrong to post the video on social media, but I think that getting rid of journalism classes in high schools is a bit extreme. Not every student, or teenager for that matter, is going to post something like that video or an article on social media. Having the option to take a journalism class, I believe, rightly encourages students to express their opinions and openly be excited to educate themselves on what goes on in the society that we live in. Doing away with the class altogether would and probably has discouraged some students because now they may have no other place that they feel that their opinion makes any difference or is important. So this might explain why some newly licensed voters may not feel the need to vote, for lack of confidence in their opinion. Having a journalism class would show students that their opinion matters in every aspect of their life; at school, home, and certainly when voting for the next President.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to draw a line when it comes to phone use in a class room. Yes they can be used for educational purposes, but most of the time they are not. I believe that phones should not be out during class periods, except the occasional exception. It is the teachers job to make a safe learning environment for their students. So, I do understand why Tiana Johnson got suspended, because students have a right to not be videotaped without permission.
ReplyDeleteBrooke Martinez p5
I agree and disagree with how the school took over this situation. Yes, I believe they should have done something along the lines of suspending the student but I feel like that is a little bit over dramatic. "In the aftermath, though, the school suspended Tiana Johnson for recording the melee and posting it on Youtube" (Terhaar). I overall disagree with what Tiana did with the video she had no right to post the video without there permission. With this all said she overall did the wrong thing and hopefully learned from this situation.
ReplyDeleteKarly Hagen Per.4
I disagree with how the school took charge of this situation. They should've done something with suspending the student but they went overboard. They were overly dramatic and didn't have to go that far. However Tiana shouldn't have posted a video on social media without any permission.
ReplyDeleteKaitlyn Guevarra Per. 4
I disagree with the results of these situations greatly. No matter who did what to who at a school, it should be taken in a more serious way. "These were very different situations, similar only in that they became publicly known through social media" (Terhaar). The video should have not been posted on social media without permission, but it is good evidence to have a video, even if it is against school regulations. The punishments given to these people were not strong enough in any way, and situations like these should be taken more seriously with stronger punishments, so they won't happen again.
ReplyDeleteEmily Bobrowsky- Period 1
Cameron Stone -- P6
ReplyDeleteStudents should not be punished for posting videos or pictures from the classroom or school setting. It is written in the Constitution that we, "shall have the right to exercise freedom of speech and of the press" (Paragraph 12). Smart phones with video capabilities are abundant in our society today. Students cannot be expected to not use them. In fact, smart phones are becoming a crucial part of the classroom. This should be encouraged and continued in the public school system throughout the US.
I disagree with the punishment that the school gave to Johnson. Joyce Terhaar writes, that the First Amendment states that people “shall have the right to exercise freedom of speech and of the press.” This means Johnson should not have been punished for posting the video on social media. I do think she school should have talked to her about posting video's of the school internet without permission, but I do not think she should have gotten suspended.
ReplyDeleteHannah Spence
Per. 2