On the issue of whether or not schools should be allowed to limit students’ online speech, I firmly believe that they shouldn’t. Doing so directly infringes upon the student’s first amendment rights to the freedom of speech, and for what? Numerous surveys have shown that cyberbullying isn’t a huge problem. Further, one document affirms the conclusion that cyberbullying is just another phase in the long-running evolution of bullying. With this essay, I aim to convince you that schools should not limit their students’ online speech, using my vast knowledge as well as cold hard facts.
First off, limiting students’ online speech is unconstitutional. The first amendment clearly states, “Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech…” Which says that, for the most part, we can say whatever we want. In Gitlow v. New York the Supreme Court decided that first amendment applies to other levels of government, including public schools. What all this amounts too is that public schools are required by the constitution to protect their students’ freedom of speech. So, if a school was to limit any student’s online speech, the school is entirely abridging his/her rights.
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A random sample of 10-18 year olds from a large school district in the southern US showed that on average, 96.15% of students have never posted a mean or hurtful picture online, and 97.05% of students have never had a mean or hurtful picture posted about them. Also, a survey of British School Teachers showed that only 15.1% of them had ever been cyberbullied. All these percents are measly, and contribute to the proposition that cyberbullying isn’t as big a problem as we think, and only affects a sliver of the
Did you know that 43% of kids have been bullied online? Many students are very negatively affected by being bullied online. Many people believe that schools should limit students under the age of eighteens online free speech, but others think that they should, not because it would be a violation of the first amendment.
This document supports limiting online student speech because the court ruled that even though it happened out of school, the school’s reason was strong enough to justify their actions toward K.K.
Schools should take action if there is harm being done to others. In Document A of” Should Schools Be Allowed to Limit Students’ Online Speech?”, they surveyed a random sample of 10-18 year-olds from a large school district in the southern US. It shows that girls are more likely to be cyberbullied. It also shows that girls are more likely to cyberbully somebody else. According to the graph, 25.1% of girls have been cyberbullied in their lifetime,
In modern society today, freedom of speech has been a main concern to delinquents as to what they say on the web. Although, cyberbullying has turned into a major issue online that has gotten the schools’ attention and turn towards the security of their students. To accomplish nurturing their students’ safety, they have punished pupils for what they say on the Internet that is harmful in account of others. Alternatively, the Constitution believes this goes against the First Amendment and violates the students’ rights. Schools should be authorized to limit students’ online speech to decrease the matter of cyberbullying which has affected us in many ways.
The purposes of schools include protecting and educating its students. Therefore, naturally, when a student is cyberbullying someone else, the school seeks to intervene. However, many argue that a school’s intervention of its students’ online speech is in violation of their First Amendment rights. Should schools be allowed to limit students’ online speech? That is, should schools be allowed to punish the things its students post online, even if they are done outside of school, and from their personal devices? The answer is clearly yes. From the concept, to the precedence, to the data, to a letter from the US Department of Education, evidences everywhere supports limiting students’
One of the reasons why schools should limit students online speech is a large variety of students and teachers get bullied or have been bullied in their lifetime. In February of 2010 and April of 2009 two surveys were taken, one for students and one for teachers. In the first survey it showed the number of boys and girls who have been bullied in their lifetime and
The First Amendment gives the citizens of the United States their most important rights: the right to freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion, and the freedom of assembly. Over time these rights have worked themselves into the everyday lives of United States citizens. However, there are still places where our First Amendment rights may be compromised. In the school system, finding a balance of respect and freedom of speech and press is as difficult as learning out to tightrope walk. One wrong step and you could be compromising the learning environment of the entire student body.
Cyberbullying is defined as, ¨...bullying that takes place using electronic technology¨ by stopbullying.gov. Recently, schools have been taking actions to punish students for what they do or say online. There have been many debates and trails to figure out whether or not schools should have the power to limit and punish students’ speech online. The Supreme Court ruled that if online speech is disruptive, schools can punish students. School districts should not have the power to limit online speech because online speech does not affect most students and teachers, is not very disruptive, and free speech is a precious right.
By limiting online speech, schools will be able to create an amiable atmosphere and keep students focused on school work. Confining speech will also legally protect students' and teachers civil rights to prevent violation of the Fourth Amendment. Lastly, schools should restrict online speech to avert emotional agony in teachers and students and even prevent causalities such as suicides caused by cyberbullying. With increasing technology, it's crucial to develop school policies limiting online speech to keep students focused on their future without the anxiety and fear of being
Imagine being bashed on my over a dozen kids online saying rude hurtful comments, would you not want someone to help solve this problem? In my DBQ there is seven different documents with seven different examples. After reading and doing extra research on the documents I think schools should be allowed to limit students’ online speech. I believe that the schools are trying to make this a safer place for students.
Should schools be allowed to limit students online speech? My answer, yes because there are many reasons to limit their speech by, bullying and cyberbullying. I have one report on “ Survey of British School Teachers,” it was a survey of percentages of job workers, school teachers, are scared and stressed to go back to work because they get cyber bullied by others. Students need to limit their speech because the victims can start hurting themselves because bullies have no other things to do. These were my reason for why schools should limit students online speech.
In school, there is bullying and cyberbullying happening all the time. The problem with bullying and cyberbullying are that it can make schools a bad learning environment for the students and the teachers. I believe that many schools should limit online speech, for the sake of learning purposes. Three main reasons that schools should limit free online speech are that many people get hurt by cyberbullying, it disrupts school activities, and bullying can make a good environment a bad learning environment.
In document F and or “Statement of the American Civil Liberties Union” it states that by limiting students’ online speech is “a step in the wrong direction”. Laura W. Michael said “Lawmakers have forgotten that bullying has been around long before the internet.” The First Amendment gives us the freedom of speech it our personal opinion so it shouldn’t matter.
Cyberbullying is a very controversial topic these days, some may think that to prevent this school should limit students’ speech, others argue that it prevents students right to learn.
Freedom of speech is more than just words, it is posters, petitions, rallies, protests, and more. This lets opinions be shared and spread to make a difference in the world. The problem is that in schools there is a limit on the amount of freedom of speech students can have. How are students supposed to feel like they have a voice when they are being told that they can only speak of certain topics? By what means could student be educated on their rights like the First Amendment if they cannot have full access to that right at all times? Students are brought together by freedom of speech, schools should not be stopping that. It is essential that freedom of speech in schools should not be limited because it gives students a voice, it educates them on their rights, and it brings students together.