Abuse in Cyberspace
Publication
5.25.06
With the continued explosive growth of personalized websites, more and more public school administrators can expect to face situations in which inappropriate materials have been posted by a teacher, staff member or student. While failing to recognize employees’ rights of free speech can result in legal liability, administrators also must be prepared to identify unprotected speech and determine when Internet postings are causing material disruptions or resulting in a flow of inappropriate materials into the school.
We see a growing problem. Based on our legal representation of school districts, we suggest some approaches for dealing with such issues when they arise.
This article appeared in the May 2006 issue of The School Administrator.