ACLU, EFF target Tennesse school district rules on tech and social media

The American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Freedom Foundation have asked a Tennessee school district to change its policies governing computers and smartphones and use of social media on and off campus. The policies require students engaged in student activities and those who wish to use school computers to sign off on the policies that allow the school authorities to confiscate and examine smartphones given a broad range of circumstances, to constantly monitor their use of computers and bar the posting of photos on social media sites of fellow students and school personnel without permission. (The Washington Post, October 27, 2014, by Andrea Peterson)

EFF accuses the district of violating student free speech right off campus and of infringing on student privacy with routine searches without any evidence of wrong-doing. (Electronic Freedom Foundation, October 27, 2014, by Nate Cardozo and Jamie Lee Williams)

The school is particularly in jeopardy for violating students’ free speech rights by barring any “inappropriate” or “unauthorized” speech on any computer brought to school. (techdirt, October 27, 2014, by Mike Masnick)