Lodi, California students are objecting to a new district policy aimed at stifling cyerbullying. The Lodi Unified School District requires students in extracurricular activities to sign a contract pledging to refrain from profanities or other inappropriate remarks. The policy also states that students could be suspended from their activity for using language of a “sexual nature.” (Fox News, August 6, 2013)
One member of a newspaper in one of the district’s high schools said he felt that in signing the contract he was giving up freedom of speech to be a journalist, an act fraught with irony. The students were also dismayed that the administration could ban inappropriate speech which was never clearly defined. The administration said that student safety was a top priority as bullying was “rampant.” (Student Press Law Center, August 5, 2013, by Sara Gregory)
The district school board expressed a desire to consider changes to the policy on August 5 but took no action. They will consider the matter again on August 20. (Student Press Law Center, August 6, 2013, by Sara Tirrito)
Pressure on the school board escalated sharply when a San Francisco attorney sent a letter to the board saying that the social media policy violated the First Amendment and in the likelihood of a lawsuit, a court would find it so and require the board to pay court costs. (Lodi News, August 12, 2013, by Ross Farrow)
Update: The Lodi Unified School District benched its social media policy until the school board has an opportunity to review it. (Student Press Law Center, August 14, 2013, by Sara Gregory)