wayward writes "Students at Pope John XIII, a Catholic high school, were told to take down their blogs from sites like Xanga and MySpace or face suspension. Rev. Kieran McHugh, the school's principal, said that he was trying to protect students from online predators. Not too surprisingly, free speech advocates got more than a little concerned.Ads_xl=0;Ads_yl=0;Ads_xp='';Ads_yp='';Ads_xp1='';Ads_yp1='';Ads_par='';Ads_cnturl='';Ads_prf='page=article';Ads_channels='RON_P6_IMU';Ads_wrd='internet,ed';Ads_kid=0;Ads_bid=0;Ads_sec=0; Students Banned from Blogging Log in/Create an Account | Top | 61 comments | Search Discussion Display Options Threshold: -1: 61 comments 0: 58 comments 1: 43 comments 2: 29 comments 3: 4 comments 4: 2 comments 5: 2 comments Flat Nested No Comments Threaded Oldest First Newest First Highest Scores First Oldest First (Ignore Threads) Newest First (Ignore Threads) The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. Constitutional protections.... (Score:5, Interesting) by BWJones (18351) * on Wednesday October 26, @12:35AM (#13878119) (http://prometheus.med.utah.edu/~bwjones/ | Last Journal: Friday October 21, @01:11AM) Well, there is this thing call anonymity.... Oh, don't forget free speech. Last time I checked, there is no clause in the Constitution saying anything about how old you have to be to qualify for the First Amendment. By the way, if you are in the DC area, you owe it to yourself to stop by the National Archives and see the Constitution. It had a surprisingly profound impact on this jaded science geek.Back on topic: On legal grounds, because the school is a religious school, they can make certain requirements. For instance, I once dated a girl that was recruited from Norway to be on the BYU ski team. She accepted because of the scholarship even though she was not part of the "moral majority" there. Here is the deal though... they made her sign an "agreement" that she would not consume coffee or alcohol even while not on school grounds. She abided by that contract, and honored it. But when her parents came into town, she went to dinner with her family. She did not have any wine at dinner, while her parents did. Two days later, she was called into the Presidents office because someone had reported (ratted) her for being with people who were consuming alcohol. The deal is though, because this was a religious school, there are no personal rights issues at stake and she had no recourse. Her personal choice was to leave BYU and her scholarship behind because she was so offended.Of course this is one of the major problems associated with federal funding of religious programs for charity or education. These charities can discriminate and there are no federal protections for these folks who are discriminated against even though the source of the funds are federal in nature. Shockingly, there have been discrimination cases based upon religion, race or appearance that are being upheld because "private" churches or schools can make any requirements on their "clubs" they want. Historically, the protection has been that any organization that receives federal funding cannot discriminate, but the new rules blow this away.Don't get me wrong, I consider myself religious and was raised Catholic, but large organized religions have proven difficult for me to participate in. [ Reply to ThisRe:Constitutional protections.... by cdrguru (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:40AMRe:Constitutional protections.... by cerberus4696 (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:44AMRe:Constitutional protections.... by DustyShadow (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:48AMRe:Constitutional protections.... by QuantumG (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:53AMRe:Constitutional protections.... by jcr (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @01:00AM2 replies beneath your current threshold.Re:Constitutional protections.... by TheoMurpse (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:53AMRe:Constitutional protections.... by Lehk228 (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:54AM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Wait, wait, wait (Score:1) by Dan Up Baby (878587) on Wednesday October 26, @12:36AM (#13878122) (http://www.getupbaby.net/) Free speech advocates are concerned about the restriction of speech in a private high school? Shouldn't they be finishing up with China first? [ Reply to ThisRe:Wait, wait, wait by Grey_14 (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:43AMRe:Wait, wait, wait by aussie_a (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:43AMRe:Wait, wait, wait by danheskett (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:45AMRe:Wait, wait, wait by aussie_a (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:49AMRe:Wait, wait, wait by Dominatus (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:52AM1 reply beneath your current threshold. It's time for Heinousjay's "how many" post (Score:2, Funny) by heinousjay (683506) on Wednesday October 26, @12:38AM (#13878130) (Last Journal: Tuesday October 18, @09:01PM) How many jokes about Catholic priests "blessing" the tender young high school students, in poetic contrast to the concern of predators?I say at least 10-12. Could be wrong. [ Reply to This believe me... (Score:5, Funny) by Paladin144 (676391) on Wednesday October 26, @12:38AM (#13878133) (http://www.timoregan.com/) Rev. Kieran McHugh, the school's principal, said that he was trying to protect students from online predatorsBelieve me, if they're going to a Catholic school, the students have a hell of a lot more to worry about than online predators. [ Reply to ThisRe:believe me... by Seumas (Score:1) Wednesday October 26, @12:49AMRe:believe me... by uncoveror (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:56AM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Can't they just... (Score:1, Insightful) by Red Samurai (893134) on Wednesday October 26, @12:39AM (#13878136) Blog anonymously? That should solve the problem. [ Reply to ThisRe:Can't they just... by Grey_14 (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:41AMRe:Can't they just... by aussie_a (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:46AMRe:Can't they just... by CaptainCarrot (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:57AMRe:Can't they just... by etrnl (Score:1) Wednesday October 26, @01:00AM I'll be the first one and say... (Score:1, Redundant) by thesatch (844290) on Wednesday October 26, @12:41AM (#13878142) OHHHHHHHHHH, THE IRONY!! [ Reply to This Even for the Catholics this is one stupid idea (Score:2) by shanen (462549) on Wednesday October 26, @12:42AM (#13878144) (http://shanenj.tripod.com/ | Last Journal: Friday September 30, @10:52PM) How are they planning to enforce this one? This is about the stupidest idea I've ever heard of.Wait! I've got it. Every day when the students arrive at school, they'll start by putting their hands on the school Bible and swearing that they haven't written a blog or violated any of the other 729 rules and regulations. Of course, they'll have to do it in very small groups so they can be properly monitored to make sure none of them are lip-synching the oath or crossing their fingers. By the time the students all finish all their mighty oath takings, it will be time to go home, and they can start again the next morning.How's that for a proper religious education? [ Reply to ThisYossarian by airos4 (Score:1) Wednesday October 26, @12:45AMRe:Even for the Catholics this is one stupid idea by QuantumG (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:51AMRe:Even for the Catholics this is one stupid idea by Lehk228 (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:59AM Free Speech (Score:2) by queenb**ch (446380) on Wednesday October 26, @12:42AM (#13878150) (http://www.xanga.com/morrighu) If you want to protect students from on-line predators, have some adults that hang out in the online chat rooms. Just one lurking, trusted adult can put an end to a lot of crap in a chat room. Chat rooms aren't the only places to talk to kids on line though. Most on line games have a chat/messaging component. Because of some of the things that we've observed, our gaming clan has enacted really strict rules about this for our "junior league" members. Have adults that are privvy to all the conversations during on-line game play. Tell parents not to put the computer in the kid's bedroom. Have the parent install monitoring software and check up on what junior's up to on-line.Major Super-Important Point - THE COMPUTER IS NOT A BABYSITTER. YOU MUST INTERACT WITH YOUR CHILD.There are dozens of way more effective steps than taking down a blog or two. Explain to kids that real names and real places don't get used in blogs. Using someone's real name, or telling where they live, etc. should be cause for suspension.2 cents,Queen B [ Reply to ThisRe:Free Speech by aussie_a (Score:2) Wednesday October 26, @12:52AM Tax dollars... (Score:3, Interesting) by valkraider (611225) on Wednesday October 26, @12:43AM (#13878151) (http://www.beanmag.com/ | Last Journal: Wednesday March 19, @09:01PM) I see no problem with this sort of restriction in a private religious school, as long as they don't receive any tax dollars.'doh! [ Reply to This oh irony (Score:1) by hjo3 (890059) on Wednesday October 26, @12:46AM (#13878173) (http://www.hjo3.net/) How ironic that these angsty teenagers no longer have a place to whine about their opression... :P [ Reply to This RTFA (Score:1) by NoGuffCheck (746638) on Wednesday October 26, @12:46AM (#13878177) Stop spouting the Post Anonymously crap, while I dont agree with the good Reverend he is objecting to blogs where the student post a picture, their name and other personal details. [ Reply to This1 reply beneath your current threshold. stop blogging or get suspended? (Score:1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 26, @12:48AM (#13878184) ... wow, that must open some DOS attack potential. Blog using your friends/foes identity and get her suspended. Nice. [ Reply to This God Forbid (Score:3, Insightful) by miyako (632510) on Wednesday October 26, @12:49AM (#13878192) (http://miyako-houou.homelinux.net/ | Last Journal: Thursday October 07, @02:15AM) God Forbid the student's may run across people who might post ideas that run counter to the church.In fact, some of them might not even be *gasp* Christian. The children might be promoted to *Horror* Question the Doctorine of the Church!Please Someone Think Of The Children!(Not anti-religion, just think that by highschool people should be making up their own minds about it. Shouldn't true belief and a relationship with whatever god(ess)(es) a person chooses to follow or not come from self reflection and soul serching instead of bullying, parental decree, and a lack of exposure to alternate viewpoints?) [ Reply to This Teaching By Example? (Score:1) by dour power (764750) on Wednesday October 26, @12:50AM (#13878193) How does the school know what's best for the students when they are outside that environment? This playsright into the (unfortunately) common belief that school personnel are supposed to do the parenting for thestudents instead of the parents.Not exactly the best way to show the young and impressionable how to deal with the world. [ Reply to This Jeeze (Score:1) by D3m3rz3l (914486) on Wednesday October 26, @12:53AM (#13878211) Whoever made that Chinese comment: Yeah figures. Go around policing the world, but don't look in your own backyard. Like so many people have pointed out, a private institution can do whatever it wants, but they better not be getting federal money. Unfortunately, that is often not the case (ie they do get federal money). This kind of crap makes me so mad. BYU is a school full of maniacs. Can't drink coffee? What the fuck? And if I want to drink alchohol, that's my fucking business. BYU is nothing more than a fucking "conversion camp". I know of international students who have received scholarships etc from BYU. And then basically, undergone 4 years of brainwashing and proselytizing. Luckily, these days, international students are more aware of places like BYU and stay away. Unfortunately, some people still get roped in, and then either have to convert in order to deal with the place, or end up going back home, completely traumatized.Organized religion. Makes me puke. [ Reply to This Wow... (Score:1) by Kickboy12 (913888) on Wednesday October 26, @12:54AM (#13878213) (http://cacrew.com/) The idea of a private school regulating student activity outside of school is not unheard of and there is a long tradition in it...Sigh. I went to private school. They never pulled a bullshit move like this. They did make suggestions on what we should and shouldn't be doing outside of school, but they never enforced it.To me, this is like drug testing in school. Basically the school is saying what you do outside of school is our buisness. When, in reality, it is not their buisness in any way, shape, or form what a student does on their own free time. Any statements otherwise, such as the ones in this article, can, and will, be taken as a act of Facism and Retardism par the anti-freedom act of the Bush Administration (2004).Welcome to Theocracy. Leave your open-mindedness and revolutionary scientific theories at the gates of Hitler.You have entered the anti-Twilight Zone. [ Reply to This Right to assembly? (Score:2) by Dominatus (796241) on Wednesday October 26, @12:56AM (#13878222) Why aren't the freedom of speech advocates worried about the school's consitutional right to assembly?Furthermore, why dont these so-called advocates read the ammendment and realize it's about congress making laws abridging the freedom of speech, not about private organizations determining who they can assemble with. [ Reply to This I lived in sparta where the school is located (Score:1) by Billly Gates (198444) on Wednesday October 26, @12:59AM (#13878235) (http://www.livejournal.com/users/sinistertim101 | Last Journal: Sunday September 18, @02:24PM) I had old buddies who went there.Its a strict school. Backwards too I may add.They have disciplinary problems in the schools out there and jersey has a high precentage of lawsuits. I wanted to go to Pope John because I was being bullied and harrased daily in elementry school and I was hoping they could protect me. [ Reply to This Thank you! (Score:2) by Spy der Mann (805235) <spydermann,slashdot&gmail,com> on Wednesday October 26, @12:39AM (#13878134) (Last Journal: Wednesday October 12, @02:42PM) You just gave the principal A VALID REASON to protect his students from online predators!(For those who can't see the parent, don't bother. it's a gnaa troll.)And given the fact that most blogs - specially the blogger ones - have become a target for spamvertising [slashdot.org], I couldn't agree more with him! [ Reply to This | Parent Re:Let me get this straight... (Score:2) by $RANDOMLUSER (804576) on Wednesday October 26, @12:42AM (#13878146) We may as well close this thread. You've said it all. [ Reply to This | Parent Re:Let me get this straight... (Score:1) by Kid Zero (4866) on Wednesday October 26, @12:46AM (#13878172) Amen!I knew two schools in Louisville, KY. One, with nice, polite kids. Normal lives, the whole deal. The other was a girls school, and riding the bus home in the afternoons with them? Wow. Every cliche you could find in a Penthouse, they had in spades. Not in a good way, either. In that slimy, disgusting "no thanks, celibacy sounds great" way.Oh, yeah, there's no free speech in school. How they plan to enforce this off campus is worth hearing. [ Reply to This | Parent12 replies beneath your current threshold.