Who could have anticipated the effect of the Internet on education, or of social networking sites such as Facebook or MySpace? Yet given the relatively new state of the law, as the legal system struggles to keep pace with technological advances, the courts are reaching markedly different outcomes on the extent to which education officials can punish students who violate school rules, especially if their behavior originated out of school or involved First Amendment free speech claims.
In light of the legal and technological challenges facing school business officials (SBOs), school boards, and other education leaders, the first part of this column provides a comprehensive review of reported litigation involving student use and misuse of technology in schools. The second part offers recommendations for SBOs, boards, and other education leaders who face the daunting task of complying with the law by keeping their technology policies up-to-date.
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This article originally appeared in the March 2012 School Business Affairs magazine and is reprinted with permission of the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO). The text herein does not necessarily represent the views or policies of ASBO International, and use of this imprint does not imply any endorsement or recognition by ASBO International and its officers or affiliates. Any additional re-purposing or reprint of this article in this or any other medium is restricted without prior written consent.
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