Ummmm.... Freedom of Speech?

OK, I heard this news bit this morning before taking off for work and I thought it was absolutly absurd. Some 16 year-old girl was upset with the repeated scheduling 'snags' for some school event. She then did what most people this day and age do when something pisses them off and they feel the need to vent: she bloged her rage. With in that blog she calls an unnamed school official a "douche-bag" (ala Profanity nonetheless). So somehow the Principal sees the blog, bans her from running for class secretary next year (a position she has held for her entire time in High School), 'asks' her to tell her mom about the comment and to apologize to 'unnamed official'.

It's not stated wether or not she used the officials name in the blog, but thats not the point, (there's not much difference in 'Principal Skinner is a dick' and 'my Principal is a dick'. It just takes a little more work to figure out who the principal is) the point is that she has every right to say what ever she wants in her PERSONAL blog. It's not like this was an unmerrited attack either, the teen had reason to call 'unnamed official' a douche-bag.

Also, what I'm wondering is how school officials got wind of this blog. I know most of internet is public domain (barring password protected sites and yada yada) but either they got tipped off or some official is a little pervy and snooping on students.

So the girl buckles, appologizes, and takes down the blog post. She had this to say, "It was an unsavory term and I shouldn't have said it. It was a rude comment. It was written thinking that it would be private and it didn't occur to me that it's on the Internet, it's public..." Well no shit the internet is public! She also said, "I mean I've really learned my lesson. You can't present yourself in that way..."

Big mistake, never apologize for anything like that! If she would have stood up for her first amendment right and not admit fault or wrong doing, she might have a leg to stand on when I comes to running for secretary again. Since she took the bullet (probally thinking that if she did they would reconsider the punishment) she is screwed because for most officials there is no grey area in between right and wrong.

Seriously, grow some skin. Its a teen being upset over something petty, thats nothing new. Feel privledged that she only called you a douche-bag! There is a lot worse trash a teen can call some one!

Bah, maybe I'm looking too hard into this, but if it was my daughter I would tell her to keep it up and don't apologize because you have the right to speak your mind in your own blog even if the public can read it. Douche-bags!

Full Story at NBC 30 CT