The Center for Teaching the Rule of Law |
Cyberbullying Read the scenario and then test your knowledge of the law
Sally Henson is a new student at Middle Lake High School. Leslie, a senior at Middle Lake, does not like Sally. Leslie goes home after school one day, and, using her home computer, creates a Facebook group entitled, “S.A.S.H.” She later tells her parents and the school principal that S.A.S.H. stands for Students Against Silly Hoochies, but everyone else at the high school will tell you that it also stands for Students Against Sally Henson. Leslie invites all of her Facebook friends who attend the same high school to join the page. Members to the group can post and respond to comments and photographs on the webpage. This webpage is devoted to bullying and making fun of Sally Henson. Two of Leslie’s Facebook friends, John and Debbie, get on Facebook during a computer class at school using a school computer, join the group, and post pictures they have taken of Sally Henson at school, without Sally’s knowledge. They have “photoshopped” these pictures in inappropriate ways. Other students comment on these pictures, and write other derogatory comments about Sally. Sally finds out about the website and no longer wants to go to school. When her parents ask her why, she shows them the webpage, and they immediately contact the school principal. The school board and the school principal suspend Leslie for five days. Leslie wants to challenge her suspension.
Based on: Kowalski v. Berkeley County Schools, 652 F.3d 565 (4th Cir. 2011)
Based on: Kowalski v. Berkeley County Schools, 652 F.3d 565 (4th Cir. 2011)