Response to David L. Hudson’s “Blogging”
The First Amendment protects U.S. citizens’ freedom of expression and this includes speech posted on the Internet, and yes, I agree that this freedom should be protected. Schools should not have the right to punish a student for what they are writing on their own personal computers, on their own time, and away from school. However, I also believe that they (students) do not have the right to libel, slander or threaten anyone on the Internet. They could be sued or face criminal prosecution for any of these acts conducted by word of mouth, by any other written median or by physical actions, therefore, anything written on the Internet should be included as punishable.
Hudson writes “…that if the expression takes place off-campus, school officials simply do not have the jurisdiction over a student’s speech,” and that the question of on-campus versus off-campus expression is very important (64). It is to be considered yes, but the sort or type of expression must also be taken into consideration.
I must ask this question, should parents take some or all of the responsibility for what their children are writing on the Internet? After all, they (children) are legally our responsibility until the age of 18. I believe if parents are not aware of what their children are doing, writing, or saying, then they cannot correct any improper behavior, and in today’s society some parents believe that ignorance is the best excuse for not holding their children (or themselves) accountable for any type of wrong doing. If this is allowed by our society and the law of the land, students will never learn to be accountable for their actions.
Works Cited
Hudson, David L. Blogging. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 2008. 6 February 2011
I agree with your argument that parents must be aware of what their children are doing online. It is not a school's responsiblity or right to monitor students at home; this is the parent's jurisdiction. I agree that people should be held accountable for slanderous posts, but the government should not be able to tread on First Amendment rights.
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