The Status Update That Got A Student Expelled From School
April 4, 2010 by Terry Reth · 266 Comments
The Status Update That Got A Student Expelled From School – In High School, Myspace and social networking websites are used as serious tools for catching kids before they do something bad. More and more students are being punished by the school administration for things they do outside of school. It happens all the time. A student goes to a party and school administration finds out and suddenly they are suspended from school for what seems like to the student as a harmless fun time. They were just out having a good time with friends and family right? Well the school districts are seeing things in the eyes of the students and are in fact seeing things just the opposite and are beginning to crack down on students even more.
Could you imagine being expelled, yes expelled meaning you wont be able to re enroll in another school down the street, you will have to completely go into a different school district assuming they will accept you provided your prior school history, just for updating your status on Facebook? Sounds a bit wild no matter what your status said right? Well when you write in your status that you are going to kill your English teacher, things tend to get a bit more serious. That’s on the lines of creating a hit list people are saying. Kathy Bowen is his English teacher at school and she didn’t find the comment amusing to the slightest degree.
The student wrote that he was going to kill Kathy Bowen just because he did not like her and wasn’t thrilled by her personality. The Brevard County school district expelled the boy but still offered him the chance to go to an alternative school. Now police are looking further into the case.
Someone commented saying this was “practically illegal”. News for you and any other person who says they shouldn’t be able to expell him; this is 100% illegal. it is illegal to threaten anyone under these circumstances. If you can go to prison for the action, then you most certainly can be expelled for it. It doesn’t matter how the teacher or local authorities found out about the post as long as the student made the thought public, it is illegal. I know we “joke” about killing someone, but ther is always those kids who are serious, and maybe he was or maybe he wasn’t, but either way, he should not have made it public(writing down is instant proff of guilt).
Oh my GodS that’s so stupid! Students threaten to “kill” there teachers all the time. That doesn’t mean they really have intentions on doing it. It was probably just said out of frustration. It stupid stuff like this that make facebook unenjoyable. Kids can’t even let off a little steam in jest!
I was threatened by someone younger then me just because I didn’t wanna be friends with her over dramatic sister. My life was threatened and no one did a fucking thing about it. I wish the dumb bitch got expelled and would never be allowed in a damn school I wish she got arrested for opening her mouth the way she did and tried as an adult for the attempt and threat to commit a murder. Someone who is stupid enough to talk about it or right it down as a status, a message, or a wall post should be smart enough to realize that with ever action comes a consequence regards less how big apt small the action or crime. The threat to end ones life is a crime, that everyone should take seriously. What if you were in that persons shoes…what if you were in my shoes…how would you feel if no one helped to protect you?
No where in this article does it say the teacher saw it on the students page. Learn to read and understand what you are reading. First, think about what you are arguing about. Second, a student can be expelled from school if he/she feels threatened by the student. Just because you are a teenager does not automatically give you the right to make threats on someones life and assume they will know you are joking. Lastly, if you are on facebook and not private you are an idiot..it’s public anyone can read it
Ok I can see why the police would get involvedwith that, but I don’t believe that she should have been expelled until thay looked further into the case. I believe SOMETHING should have happened to her at her school because that is considered cyberbullying.
We live in a police state. This is sad.
its just school people. Those days are gone faster than you think. Follow the damn rules and try to learn a thing or two. Or you can maintain your ignorance and agree that children should be able to tell whoever they want to kill, and hope it doesn’t happen. Stop being fucktards.
pain in the ass teachers, they just have to be so adult about everything. Hopefully what comes around goes around and we get to listen to them cry when they get busted for some off hand remark or photo. Just don’t share anything on your facebook page except to your friends. That will keep teach at bay unless you make them your friend. I see teachers as friends now, but 30+ years ago when I was in school they were the enemy. Ofcourse the teachers of today are far better than they were then as is the educational system, which is to say that good public schools have kept pace with the times and if a kid wants, there is plenty of education for the grabbing. Sadly though, some kids are allowed to turn in the bare minimum……ADVICE ? Aim high youngsters, its starts in Middle School, you’d be surprised at what you can accomplish if you try….the more you accomplish the more cash you will make and the more hookers you can buy…if you catch my drift.
so, this whole thing is disturbing to me because we have a right to freedom of speech. and this student didnt act upon his comment, maybe he was just venting. benefit of the doubt is a right also. So those of you that say yes this is good, do you think it would be ok for our government to arrest, prosecute, and sentence citizens for comments made, when no crime was committed. Its not a crime to theorize about commiting a crime. this is oppression at its best. why is no one screaming about right infringement!?
First off @ LaKrysia – Yes you should be fired, depending on what you do. Utter threats about a boss/co-worker, get caught with child porn, racist remarks…come on.
@ BeBe – why shouldn’t they? Its a free world…just because they are teachers doesn’t mean they can all be banned from something. I think they have a term for that, see if you can figure it out.
Cannot agree more that they need to set an example with kids out there that they cannot act like this and that such things will be taken seriously. So before you get all up in arms about “the man keeping you down” think about how it must feel to be on the other end. What if the Bully at school posted on his facebook page that they were gonna beat you up tomorrow after school and the teachers found it but did nothing.
Who would you blame then? Yes, of course, EVERYONE but Yourself! Get a grip and open your eyes to the bigger picture. Some of you still have so much to learn, even those that are technically ‘adults’.
I’m sorry, but from all the comments I have read, yall are missing the point here, threatening a teacher is school responsibility to investigate and protect that teacher weither the kid was joking or not. And with that the kid shouldn’t have said what he said in the first place. That is the problem with kids today. There isn’t consequences for their actions. Say something stupid or threatening and people will react.
Bottom line-
The kid should get in trouble. Expelled, nothing more. Especially if it was a joke and even if he was just expressing his emotions online for his friends and no one more to see.
The faculty member who added/accepted the student on Facebook should also be punished. Where I live, in the local school district, you are not allowed to add teachers, and teachers cannot add you until you are 18 years old.
Someone got expelled at my high school last year for posting a picture of a penis that was drawn on a piece of tape and stuck to a teachers behind. I admit, it was a stupid prank, but the teacher should NOT have been friends with the student on a social networking cite.
The fact is, everyone is blaming the kid for expressing his thoughts and feelings like a diary, but the teacher is also to blame.
We also do not know the history with this “Kathy Bowen.”
She could have pushed him too far, not that that would give him any reason to say what he did, but she might have stepped out of place and said/and or did things she shouldn’t have.
Yooh peOple are AlL dumB itS n0t y0ur pr0blem s00 qet over it ahnd qehtt ahh life!
wow why would she wanna kill her teacher its total bs just cause the teacher does not like her doesnt mean she should kill him like really wtf! Its not the teachers fault that he hates her guts its hers and the way she acted…Damn right she should be expelled!!! I know for a fact this chick is not a prep. I bet shes some lil retared freak that kills everyone that walks in her way. anyways I hate these websits they are stupid DEAL WITH YOUR OWN PROBLEMS well im bored of this…pce
They have to take this seriously. This person needs to know that he will held accountable for his actions. Why would the school want that student going there while the teacher he threatened was working their; of course they expelled him. They allowed him to have the opportunity to go to another school they didn’t even have to do that. It is not a joke when you say you are going to kill someone police have every right to hold you in custody to make sure you are not a treat.
you know what this is after school hours and this is just the kid expressing his hate (lol) but r u kidding me no way! that just shows how cracked our school districts are
Okay, so I believe that school should be school and personal life should be personal life. Now, if the student added a teacher that is personal life…dont look at it as adding a teacher look at is as adding just a regular person whom you know. The teacher saw the students comment on personal time but, if it was a threat (even if he was joking) the only reason they expelled the student was to keep distance between the two…now if the student threatened another student at the same school and it was reported something would have been done to put distance between the two students….stop saying this is stupid…because if you were the one being threatened wouldn’t you want to be distanced from that person? I know I would