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Internet Hoax - Student WAS NOT Suspended for using Firefox

bigspring.k12.pa.us — Recently, a file was uploaded to the Internet purporting to be a copy of a letter from Big Spring High School to a student regarding a two hour detention. The uploaded letter was an altered version of a detention letter sent to a student.

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  • liquidpele, on 12/18/2007, -17/+601Just wanted to point out I was right - as seen here:
    http://digg.com/software/Kid_gets_detention_for_us ...

    So for those who buried me - suck it!
    • redcard, on 12/18/2007, -11/+109Yep. Kid got in trouble for something else, and decided to get even by doing something he knew full well would work. Never understimate stupid people in large groups. Especially stupid people who think they're smart people fighting for their religious doctrines... be it Firefox, Apple, or Linux.
      • rawheadrex, on 12/18/2007, -8/+3Cuz there aren't any stupid people who think they're smart people fighting for Windows or Microsoft.
        • Knucklecallus, on 12/18/2007, -1/+5Ha, almost proves redcard's point
      • Teh_Shiz, on 12/18/2007, -1/+7One of my friends got suspended for changing the resolution on a monitor from 800x600 to 1280x1024 because the large icons were hurting his eyes.

        Apparently the tech teacher was too retarded to change it back =/
      • mashedup, on 12/18/2007, -2/+0But most importantly; never ever underestimate people who can't spell underestimate and their religious doctrine of misspelled arse gravy.
    • TubbyCat, on 12/18/2007, -15/+48Oh shut up. :'(
    • Tripacer, on 12/18/2007, -9/+169I think the Principal's letter is a hoax.
      • gh0st3000, on 12/18/2007, -1/+36Nothing is real!!! auughhhhh!!!
        • xsuite, on 12/18/2007, -4/+19God doesnt exist!

          The force is actually microscopic bacteria in your blood stream!

          The empire will be destroyed by ewoks.

          Oh and I am your Father.
          • DarkSamus, on 12/18/2007, -0/+10i thought the force was begging on the street earlier?
          • WaltDismal, on 12/18/2007, -0/+7Hey Dad, can I have the keys to the Battlestar tonight? I need wheels for my date. And I want to impress her by blowing up Alderaan
    • ieatsmurfs, on 12/18/2007, -23/+10would you like a medal?
      • AndrewDB, on 01/10/2008, -1/+14No, but I'm sure an apology would do just fine.
    • lebatte, on 12/18/2007, -7/+17Yeah, I buried the original story after seeing it. Go us!
      • yaddayaddayoda, on 12/18/2007, -6/+2Henceforth, whenever I see a hoax using Photoshop, I'm gonna go, "Congratulations! You got Dan Rathered!"
    • xruntime, on 12/18/2007, -4/+13Ahem! Great minds think alike.

      http://digg.com/software/Kid_gets_detention_for_us ...
    • calbff, on 12/18/2007, -0/+13I hope people consider this the next time they're going to post someone's personal contact information. In some cases (see: tasing!) it's more than justified, but it's often not and just encourages juvenile internet tough-guys.
      • techmaster, on 12/18/2007, -0/+16In a way it's a good thing. Think about it this way: The principal of that school probably got a few nice emails....maybe a few hundred, maybe even a few thousand. Let's just say maybe he got 1000 emails. Some of them were vulgar, some contained photographs of penises, others were just people calling him an idiot. Now, imagine your day when your inbox contains what I've just described. That principal is going to be one ***** off dude. And, ***** rolls downhill. Surely the principal slapped that stupid kid with one hell of a punishment for his alteration, so in the end, the little ***** got what he deserved. Karma's a bitch.
        • clari0n, on 12/18/2007, -1/+1How do you know the principal doesn't like his inbox filled with penises and vulgarity?
    • quikboy, on 12/18/2007, -18/+13Hmm. It's just a browser people. Maybe unlike some of y'all, I actually have a life.

      Besides, the main thing he was incited for was just downloading something he didn't permission to. It's a school policy, and you just simply follow it. Do what you want at home, but school is school for a reason.
      • KoopaTroopa, on 12/18/2007, -17/+5IT WAS A FAKE DETENTION, IT WAS A HOAX, STOP BEING A RETARD. oops capsloxx lols
      • iChainsaw, on 12/18/2007, -1/+11Oh ***** guys, this guy has a life! He is definitely not one to be trifled with.
      • Pillage, on 12/18/2007, -4/+5it's not JUST a browser; it is a way of life.
    • ShnowDoggie, on 12/18/2007, -0/+3I dug you up over the weekend.
      PS: I called it too. (But you called it better ..)

      http://www.digg.com/software/Kid_gets_detention_fo ...
    • KathrynMac, on 12/18/2007, -4/+3Most schools (wisely) prohibit students from downloading and/or installing any kind of program onto the school computers. The real story is probably that the kid downloaded and installed firefox -- for which he would deserve punishment. The teacher can't run around to every computer guessing whether or not the download/installation taking place is safe or not.
    • mrASSMAN, on 12/18/2007, -3/+4Here's what really happened: http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2007/12/11th-grader- ...
    • carpeclunes, on 12/18/2007, -2/+16As Will Smith would say, "Somehow, I told you so just doesn't quite say it."
      • Markpdotcom, on 12/18/2007, -19/+2A Will Smith "quote"? ***** off!
        • MarkOfTheDead, on 12/18/2007, -1/+13Dude, He Is Legend. You ***** off.
    • zachshmack, on 12/18/2007, -2/+2Holy *****! You mean you realized that not everything on the Internet is true?! Give this kid a medal.
      • mcmlxxii, on 12/18/2007, -0/+2So much of the stuff on digg is could be nonsense, in the end it's a case of using your judgement just like everything else, ie, is it a trusted source, has it been reported by 2 or more separate sources, does it seem likely, blah blah blah. So many people, so many agendas, so few ways to really verify information. The internet rocks, but its truth is largely our perception and not a reality. Hell in most cases I'd rather read a well thought out and interesting lie than a boring truth, but I'll hold back before reaching for the pitchfork and my rabble rousing outfit. There's nothing to stop a majority being wrong.
    • g0dfather, on 12/18/2007, -0/+3Agreed. Does that mean digg is littered with idiots with no brains???
    • AHHHHH, on 12/18/2007, -10/+4IN SOVIET RUSSIA, Firefox suspends teachers?...
    • CatalystDM, on 12/18/2007, -0/+6Oh god, the smug is getting bigger and fusing with other smug...
    • OttawaMarcin, on 12/18/2007, -0/+2I think you guys misinterpreted the blog article. It says "the letter was altered". This could mean the black boxes that hide the student's name. It does not directly suggest "the scenario was altered".
      Then it goes on to saying that "students receive detention for disobeying orders." But it never says "the browser incident never occurred."
      None-the-less, I sent an email, and it's still funny. Hahahaha.
    • Soor, on 12/18/2007, -0/+1You win. I lose.
  • rushco, on 12/18/2007, -21/+320BS I saw pictures so it really did happen.
    • catalysis, on 12/18/2007, -19/+21They were fake, the pixels didn't line up.
      • phaed, on 12/18/2007, -11/+20phaed: Yo... Yo, Sarcasm
        Sarcasm: Yea holdup im talking to someone.
        ...
        Sarcasm: Yea wasup
        phaed: Meet my friend catalysis
        • LiveDesign, on 12/18/2007, -4/+9Best conversation ever.

          LiveDesign: Oh hey Sarcasm.
      • blup3ace, on 12/18/2007, -2/+19no, the reflections are all wrong.
    • MrWally, on 12/18/2007, -0/+11Now I'll actually reconsider my decision before I bury the typical "Fake!" comments.
    • TeacherOfHeroes, on 12/18/2007, -1/+6The flaw in your logic is that the statement "pics or it didn't happen" doesn't imply that with pics it did happen.

      I know you're joking, but I couldn't resist, sorry.
      • Dylan16807, on 12/18/2007, -3/+1What are you on? It doesn't explicitly say it happened when there are pics, it doesn't logically conclude that it happened when there are pics, but it sure as hell implies it.
        • TeacherOfHeroes, on 12/18/2007, -0/+5It inplies incredulity; incredulity that pics would *help* to remove. It doesn't imply that pics are absolute proof, just that they'd help to convince people.

          (I know it was a joke, I'm just saying...)
    • wiirdo, on 12/18/2007, -0/+1We all got pwned!
  • missilesilo, on 12/18/2007, -9/+208I feel bad for the people that work at that school, receiving all those harassing emails and phone calls. I, for one, did NOT e-mail the school because I knew this could have been a hoax.
    • j4200, on 12/18/2007, -4/+101This is the most stupid part of the digg bandwagon. Everyone's ready to jump on board for any cause without first learning all the information.
      Lets just all believe because it was on digg!
      • coolmanmax2000, on 12/18/2007, -4/+1Nothing is actually on digg, its all hosted on other sites. Checking the validity of those sites esp. personal blogs and the like is always a good idea if you care about the truth... if you just want to lol a little, though, it doesn't really matter...
      • celkin, on 12/18/2007, -1/+2In other news, Bush finds Ron Paul using Firefox and confirms him to be a terrorist!

        DUGG!!
    • j4200, on 12/18/2007, -5/+85I for one didn't email the school, and wouldn't of even if it was real. Why the ***** would I want to butt my nose into that business?
      • Piipe, on 12/18/2007, -2/+7agreed.
        really, if i call that's just one more nuisance to the school, an unnecessary call.
        dugg.
      • xyqxyq, on 12/18/2007, -4/+16wouldn't have*
      • TheWorm, on 12/18/2007, -1/+4Agreed, plus, there are plenty of good causes to be fighting for without yelling bloody murder over some stupid kid having to stay an hour after school.
      • thatsmyaibo, on 12/18/2007, -1/+3Because diggers are arrogant and try to be self righteous and think can change the world. Let's face it, now a days, 80% of what shows up on digg is either garbage or propaganda.
    • TubbyCat, on 12/18/2007, -9/+4YOU CARELESS SAVAGE.
    • jmp478, on 12/18/2007, -3/+40I hope you all feel like d-bags for flooding the principal's inbox with complaints.
    • Mononuclear, on 12/18/2007, -7/+22I didn't email the school not because I thought it was a hoax but I think the kid had it coming. The issue wasn't about using firefox it was about the kid not listening to his teachers.
      • cwabray, on 12/18/2007, -6/+8blind obedience!
        • accessviolation, on 12/18/2007, -0/+4Unfortunately the enforcement level is not where you can effectively fight a policy. If he had a legitimate issue with the policy he should have bit his tongue and later talked with the principal or other administrative officials.
        • Matt2k, on 12/18/2007, -1/+9It's not blind obedience. You're in school, so you quit ***** around downloading alternate browsers and do what your teacher says. You don't need enhanced CSS support for the 10 minutes you're browsing wikipedia in English class for god's sake. What a stupid thing to get riled up about. And it wasn't even true!
    • SLockhart, on 12/18/2007, -5/+11I' didn't email the school 1. cause it's non of my business and 2. because even if it was true he should get detention for disobeying his teacher.
    • subterfuge, on 12/18/2007, -4/+6i emailed the school, but my email was polite, so i dont feel very bad.
      • MrWally, on 12/18/2007, -1/+3Same. I essentially just clarified to the school that the student's intentions were good, despite his insubordination.
    • unionaire, on 12/18/2007, -0/+3or you could just be the lazy ass back then and the smart ass now to get some diggs for your comment.
    • epuiatti, on 12/18/2007, -0/+2Guilty As Charged! Feel kinda bad now, I Said " Greetings from Digg!" and sent her the link. Looking back i shouldnt have jumped to conclusions
  • redcard, on 12/18/2007, -1/+216It's going to be an interesting day when someone gets diggharassed and decides to sue digg for it.
    • victorycig, on 12/18/2007, -3/+86I look forward to appearing as a diggfendant.
    • oxdeltaxo, on 12/18/2007, -2/+12I think a few thousand look forward to being diggfendant.
      • fkr3, on 12/18/2007, -1/+3I don't think they realise a no-win situation means it's *them* who will lose.
    • Saiing, on 12/18/2007, -4/+46Personally I'd be happy to see you lose. The way that the idiots on Digg jump on any passing bandwagon and harass people with barely a shred of evidence is disgusting. Sadly, that's the world we live in though. It's laughable that people on here digg up stories about the bad behaviour of others, when they act like sub-human scum themselves.
      • theblt, on 12/18/2007, -3/+32I wish there were more people like you on Digg. It seems like the only thing needed to make a story reputable on Digg anymore is a good title and description.

        I can't imagine the inbox of this school, filled with nothing more than a pile of emails written in all-caps with various links pointing to Ron Paul's website.
        • jctambay, on 12/18/2007, -1/+5amen to both of you
        • Matt2k, on 12/18/2007, -1/+9That's it. We're starting a website for the fourteen smart Digg users. Programming begins today. All accounts are vetted.
      • grumpyrain, on 12/18/2007, -5/+1And same goes to all the idiots who digg the whole 'digg this so I can test the load on my webserver' submissions. Unless it is Kevin Rose telling you to hammer some new feature in digg, you do not know that the submitter has anything to do with that site. Now help Kevin test the load on the digg servers by clicking the green thumb on the right ;)

    • subterfuge, on 12/18/2007, -0/+12i think it would have happened to 4chan by now
      • xRand0mx, on 12/18/2007, -1/+5Hello Gamstop. Yes I would like to order a copy of Battletoads.
        • missingnoh4x, on 12/18/2007, -0/+1It has barrel rolls in it and comes with a free Wii strap.
    • trivialmaggot, on 12/18/2007, -0/+11the judge would hand out a green thumbs-up for not guilty, and a red one for guilty.

      the punishment if convicted, getting buried of course.
    • duke, on 12/18/2007, -0/+2We'll let Judge Judy hear it, so she can scream at all of us!!!
    • 8270369, on 12/18/2007, -1/+2Eventually there will be a related death. It's inevitable. Someone will post something about someone else, probably a stranger to them, and it'll be hugely inflammatory and entirely wrong and they'll get killed. Probably something about pedophilia.
      • Mononuclear, on 12/18/2007, -0/+4Luckily the vigilantism stops at the keyboard. If Digg users actually left their house I could see this happening. Some story lies about someone and a mob decides to go burn his house down, next day it turns out the story was wrong.
    • Bklynadam, on 12/18/2007, -0/+1Isn't there an immunity for internet service providers who merely provide a "bulletin-board=like" service and who don't edit what's posted? Unless it was overturned -- look up the Communications Decency Act §230. No liability for Digg.com -- however, the poster of the harrassing message most definitely can get sued.
  • BinaryFragger, on 12/18/2007, -0/+65I'm surprised at the response a simple, easily-faked image generated here.
    Diggers are usually skeptical and quick to say "Photoshopped!" when an image makes the front page.
    • ruscoe, on 12/18/2007, -0/+55It did seem plausible, given the lack of technology competence of many high school teachers. It probably stuck a chord with tech-savvy Digg users who were irritated by their own teachers.
      • redcard, on 12/18/2007, -0/+29Which was exactly why this kid did it, and likely why he chose the OSS community to do it to. I bet he got the desired response of making that teacher's life a living hell, too.
      • BinaryFragger, on 12/18/2007, -0/+31I agree that it seemed plausible, but it does show the negatives of the Digg mob effect. The school administration was crucified based on weak evidence.

        It's not the first time we see a similar situation:
        http://digg.com/tech_news/Steve_Mallette_s_Respons ...
    • j4200, on 12/18/2007, -2/+17It only sounds plausible because there is a new attitude about how teachers know jack ***** and the digg crowd is ready to smother that POV. Typical teenage angst.
    • TotalHalibut, on 12/18/2007, -4/+16If it was IE, they wouldn't have given a flying toss. The digg community primarily consists of open-source 'stick it to the man with linux' etc kind of people who are more than willing to believe anything like this and jump on it as yet another example of 'corporate-sponsored ignorance'. As we can clearly see here, those people are somewhat removed from reality.
    • HigherLogic, on 12/18/2007, -1/+3Yeah but it was Firefox so you know how that goes...
    • stfucupcake, on 12/18/2007, -4/+10This story seemed entirely plausible given how COMPLETELY RIGID my local high school is.
      • Wrabbit26, on 12/18/2007, -2/+1Of course it seems plausible. In order for the school to afford computers at a cheap enough price that the tax payers will pay for them is to get them through a company that loads them with Windows. There is a contract involved and the teachers are instructed to make sure the students are using only IE and not something else. A teacher that instructs a student to use something else in the classroom is opening that school for a breach of contract law suit. You can blame the system all you want but it is the teachers that are doing what they can to get the students to learn how to live with today's technology. We, the tax payers, don't want for pay for that crap outright so the schools compromise where necessary to ensure the students get the best possible equipment to learn on. Next time you're in class at your middle/junior/high school ask your teacher how much of the supplies came directly out of their pockets so you can have the education you're receiving. The teachers are not out to get you. For the pay and benefits they receive they either have no place else to go or they actually care about you and want to see you succeed. Its funny when you hear the joke "those who can, do and those who can't, teach" but where did the ones "who can" learn from. THE TEACHERS.
    • AceTracer, on 12/18/2007, -0/+1Diggers are always quick to mob together and harass people without much more than an inkling of knowledge as to the matter at hand, e.g. Ron Paul, HD-DVD encryption, etc.
  • flintmich, on 12/18/2007, -1/+17when I saw he put "foxfire" I thought, yah, I've seen people call it that. But at the same time, detention seemed like an awful stretch. but it seemed just too perfect.
    • asforme, on 12/18/2007, -0/+6Foxfire is why I thought it was legit. I work as an admin at a public school district and almost 80% of teachers call it foxfire. One of the older admins told me that it was because there was a popular book among hippies in the 60's called Foxfire.
      • andrewry, on 12/18/2007, -0/+1Foxfire is also a type of moss, or glowing plant thing. Can't remember exactly.
    • jjustice, on 12/18/2007, -0/+1That reminds me of a great story. When I was a software developer for a certain web site, a QA (testing) person submitted a defect when viewing it in the browser "Firefly." We assumed it was Firefox and asked for a screen shot. When we got the screenshot, it was actually from "Firefly - the web browser for kids" . I don't know how my boss explained the difference to the QA person without cracking up =]
  • Error601, on 12/18/2007, -3/+135Impossible. It was on the Internet so must be true.
    • LiveDesign, on 12/18/2007, -3/+0Yep yep, true true.
    • subterfuge, on 12/18/2007, -0/+2even if it wasn't true before, the pic has MADE it true
  • pbealmear, on 12/18/2007, -11/+299Thank you diggers for all the E-mails and name calling.

    If I could I would issue a detention to each and everyone of you who mailed or called our school. Instead a handwritten apology sent to the school will be accepted. Please write:

    "I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again."

    Hand written, 20 times, by Friday 4pm.

    Sincerely
    Ms Patricia Bealmear
    • redcard, on 12/18/2007, -2/+69Twenty?

      Christ, man, where did you go to school?

      My teachers assigned lines by the hundreds, or the paddle.

      900 lines or three swats.

      (Sad thing is, this is within the last fifteen years)
      • overkilpro, on 12/18/2007, -0/+2last 15 years? my school still does that except instead of lines its usually pages
      • patpl22391, on 12/18/2007, -0/+3My high school still gives swats
      • Dhalgren, on 12/18/2007, -0/+6Dude, I'd totally take the 3 swats over writing 900 lines...
        • PirateEyes, on 12/18/2007, -0/+0Yeah thats pretty much a no brainer.
    • HenvY, on 12/18/2007, -110/+5Shut the ***** up whore. Only hoaxing.
    • JoeDiggsIt, on 12/18/2007, -10/+2Well, I'm still a little confused, why did someone pick your school and something that seems vaguely accurate to make an internet hoax with?
      • JoeDiggsIt, on 12/18/2007, -3/+3yes i know thats not really her...
      • victorycig, on 12/18/2007, -1/+6Fool me twice... uh...
      • IllBeBack, on 12/18/2007, -0/+6Fool me once ya can't fool me again. (or something like that - thanks Dubya)
    • LiveDesign, on 12/18/2007, -26/+4How about I make you a deal? You write:

      "I will not open my mouth in public or on the internet because I say stupid things."

      Hand written, 40000 times (that is right, 40000, I want the point to sink in), by Thursday 1am and post it on digg AND get a minimum of 400 diggs, then I will write your lines. Until then.....shhhhhhh, your in detention.

      Sincerely
      Some who is not Ms Patricia Bealmear
      • gak001, on 12/18/2007, -3/+1Way to use "your" instead of "you're." Congratulations, you look like a dumbass while pretending to be a teacher.
    • xptoast, on 12/18/2007, -10/+2Copy, paste anyone?
      • dignation, on 12/18/2007, -0/+11You can copy and paste your handwriting? Thats' incredible!
    • unionaire, on 12/18/2007, -2/+1i thought punishments like that don't happen in america....but maybe it's universal.
    • passedoutghost, on 12/18/2007, -5/+2You know what? This is probably the first time I can tell a teacher to take her punishment and shove it where the light don't shine without being punished for it. But I won't.
    • thefinger, on 12/18/2007, -2/+21Dear "Ms Patricia Bealmear":
      if I don't write my lines, do you promise to.... punish me..... I want to be kept back after school... I want... detention.... That is, if you're a fairly nice looking babe and not married etc. Thank you.
      • Hacbarton, on 12/18/2007, -0/+20Her profile says 55. Good luck.
        • thefinger, on 12/18/2007, -0/+18bummer.... I am losing hope of ever finding true love on the internets
    • coreyb, on 12/18/2007, -1/+3Ms Bealmear... that's one nice photo you got there. I am really into black and white line art. How 'bout I write that apology at your place, say 9 o'clock tonight? :D
    • TomTruelle, on 12/18/2007, -1/+1Hey so did anyone actually call the school? If so, Id like to know how it went and all. Im sure those phone calls were full of lulz...
    • Apoy, on 12/18/2007, -0/+2Are you using firefox?
    • dignation, on 12/20/2007, -0/+1I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again. I am sorry Ms. Bealmear, I will not be fooled by an Internet hoax again.

      Where's my cookie?
  • JoeDiggsIt, on 12/18/2007, -20/+18Ooh... I may or may not have already signed the teacher up for spam... yea...
  • SmackedbyEVO, on 12/18/2007, -6/+5I thought it was pretty obvious judging by how the teacher explained the student's argument that it was a better browser.
  • TubbyCat, on 12/18/2007, -7/+25Darn. It made such a great story. :'(
    • victorycig, on 12/18/2007, -5/+2Yeah, it really riled digg up. I include myself there...
      Can't wait to see this on diggnation, though!
      • Atomic1fire, on 12/18/2007, -1/+3Amusing the power of mob rule
        one trigger can create a mass load of potential problems
  • Dibou, on 12/18/2007, -2/+57I'm hoping some student hacked the school's computer and put up this 'hoax' explanation.
    That will really screw with people's minds!
  • hootpie, on 12/18/2007, -11/+3OMG R U SERIOSE? I always thought that everything I saw on the internet, especially those papers that people write about 2girls1cup and submit them to high school teachers who proceed to write, "Please see me!!!11", was true.
  • amadeusdemarzi, on 12/18/2007, -3/+45Digg was totally pwnt
  • neutrino15, on 12/18/2007, -3/+35Digg is becoming the new wikipedia.
    People assume that people are telling the truth (and for the most part, they are). But anything you hear on the net (or anywhere, for that matter) should be taken with a grain of salt until proper proof is attained.
    • iRaachie, on 12/18/2007, -1/+4....Becoming?
    • elnerdo, on 12/18/2007, -2/+35No. Wikipedia is amazing and useful. Digg is neither.
      • feedmecereal, on 12/18/2007, -0/+7As much as I read Digg, I have to agree with you. Wikipedia is great at learning new things while Digg is mostly a time waster.
      • gamebittk, on 12/18/2007, -2/+2Digg is very useful to me.
        Amazing = An interesting way to follow news that counts and take advantage of the latest internet technologies
        Useful = You get your dose of news, and more!
      • thefinger, on 12/18/2007, -0/+2Digg is like an astroid... interesting but not very useful..... Or, Digg is like Paris Hilton... I mean... uh.... Does anyone have any photos of Paris's time in the slammer... I mean, where she's being pursued by a band of hot sex crazed lesbians... and...... shopped versions are acceptable...
    • navitatl, on 12/18/2007, -0/+2We shall follow the Fifth Rule of the Pentabarf - to be prohibited of believing what we read.
    • Bamborzled, on 12/18/2007, -0/+13Wikipedia cites their sources.
      Wikipedia article on atheism: "Atheism, as a philosophical view, is the position that either affirms the nonexistence of gods[1] or rejects theism.[2] When defined more broadly, atheism is the absence of belief in deities,[3] alternatively called nontheism.[4]"

      Digg comment on atheism: "LOL GOD SUCKS LOL. ATHEISTS ROCK!"
      I'm an Atheist myself, but I'm not a child.
    • thefinger, on 12/18/2007, -0/+1NOW you tell me! I just sent $4000 to Russia for my new bride to come over here...
    • RagnarokAngel, on 12/18/2007, -0/+0I think I'll continue to trust Wikipedia as much as I was taught as a small child the infallible nature of the Encyclopedia Britannica. "Several studies suggest that articles in Wikipedia are of a similar order of accuracy and similar rates of both serious and minor errors to Encyclopædia Britannica, that it provides a good starting point for research, and that articles are in general reasonably sound. However, it does suffer from omissions and inaccuracies and sometimes these can be serious.[1] " and that statement is sourced.
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliability_of_Wikipe ...
      Digg on the other hand...more grains of salt to say the least.
    • Wrabbit26, on 12/18/2007, -0/+1Believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see. This will ensure and life free of much of the BS in this world.

      In other words; turn off CNN, FOX NEWS, MSNBC and quit reading digg. They are all great for entertainment and not much else. And to stop the ones that will say that I must have been reading digg or I wouldn't be writing this, please refer the the first part of the previous sentence.
  • omgwthlol, on 12/18/2007, -9/+4I WAS RIGHT
  • KnightMareInc, on 12/18/2007, -6/+11good thing I buried the story when I saw it, I knew it sounded like crap.
  • Hawk117, on 12/18/2007, -1/+13I'm not shocked. I feel bad for them, I'd hate to have to deal with those phone calls.
  • blumer, on 12/18/2007, -2/+51I don't know ... the "Looks best on IE/Netscape 5.x+ at 1024x768" at the bottom of the page doesn't lend much credibility. :P
  • saggygrandma, on 12/18/2007, -12/+3 jesus titty ***** christ im so ***** sick of these sensationalist storys and then always a counter story
  • Abominous, on 12/18/2007, -9/+2Trolled
  • colincornaby, on 12/18/2007, -5/+72This is why you all need to stop being armchair police. You probably caused a pretty big headache for the school by clogging their email systems with your emails. You all just got used by some kid with an agenda. Maybe this should be a lesson about doing fact checking before you fly of the handle.
    • aroedl, on 12/18/2007, -7/+20Just see it as "preemptive strike". Now they know that they should never ever mess with Firefox people.
    • Bamborzled, on 12/18/2007, -0/+9aroedl: Yeah, you Diggers didn't flood the school's email system with thousands of messages, you "liberated" them. What's next, waterboarding anyone with a Microsoft t-shirt?
      • zongamin, on 12/18/2007, -0/+1If you wear a 'microsoft t shirt' you should expect to be beaten to death in minutes.
    • Hacbarton, on 12/18/2007, -0/+4In all defense to those of us that believed it, if you read the comments, it seems to be a common practice amongst schools (it was at mine), so it wasn't beyond belief. However, I agree that calling and emailing is undue harassment (I can't believe this isn't on some internet-damning MSM show by now).
    • likeyehokwhatev, on 12/18/2007, -3/+1WAHHHHHW(cry)AHHAW(sobsob)HHAH(tearcrytear)HHHWAHHHHH!!!!!
  • niroj, on 12/18/2007, -3/+31omg at first I was like no ones gonna believe such a dumb story and find out people believed it was real.

    Damn get some common sense people .Who ever actually believed it gimme your emails
    I got some nigerian friends that got some offers for you guys
  • stfucupcake, on 12/18/2007, -6/+1fake
  • DiggzDE, on 12/18/2007, -5/+2HAHAHAHA. Oh man. that sucks for them.
  • scoottie, on 12/18/2007, -4/+10you mean something on the Internet was false????

    /end sarcasm
  • madsci, on 12/18/2007, -1/+53so is the kid going to get detention for creating the hoax?
    • bgraves20, on 12/18/2007, -1/+3Well, he may also have changed the name in the letter. So who knows if the school even knows who did it.
      • gh0st3000, on 12/18/2007, -0/+7well, how many people could have been given 2 hour detentions in the last week?
  • vjeko, on 12/18/2007, -5/+5But i'm taking this one with a grain of salt too.
  • iRaachie, on 12/18/2007, -5/+4NOT "suspended", but got Detention..?

    Should I bury for inaccurate (misleading) title? Whaddoidoo?!
  • noshark, on 12/18/2007, -0/+9no big surprises there - much of this so called 'news' is manufactured for hits
  • consonance, on 12/18/2007, -2/+36Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again.
    • chazooka, on 12/18/2007, -0/+4That's an old Texas saying... I think they say it In Tennessee, but it's prolly from Texas...uh, erm...
  • someone173406, on 12/18/2007, -2/+2Too late to change our minds.
  • ChaosProfessor, on 12/18/2007, -3/+2i totally bought it i could see some stupid guy doing it
    • bingobongony, on 12/18/2007, -1/+2So, you beleived an obvious fake leter like a ***** idiot, and your defense is that you ar enot an idiot becuase in your opinion someone WOULD do it?
  • D3koy, on 12/18/2007, -1/+14To be fair, he was "given" a dentention (not suspension) for using foxfire.exe (not firefox.exe)
    • beerbarron, on 12/18/2007, -0/+1why did they include the file extension? that was what made me lol, to the parent they wouldnt know what the exe was most likely....
  • noctu, on 12/18/2007, -1/+4wow a mass of diggers must have called/emailed the school motivating them to submit a correction, you guys are so naughty!!!!
    • dhl07, on 12/18/2007, -0/+1I emailed them :)
      I feel some satisfaction that I helped trigger a response.
      Also I just graduated last year, that would've been awesome regardless whether it was a fake or not.
      The students would've definitely found out that the email and phones were blowing up. Teachers talk.
  • nshady, on 12/18/2007, -1/+10But I didn't think it said he was suspended in the first place - it was simply detention, right?
  • Jeffler, on 12/18/2007, -6/+5Phew. This means my copy of Mizolla Foxfire is real than?
  • Kryuel, on 12/18/2007, -7/+9You guys know, this could be the actual hoax. I bet it's just the school trying to cover it's ass.
    • bingobongony, on 12/18/2007, -5/+7Or, it could be that you are a ***** gullible idiot for beleiving it in the first place.
      • Matthew386x, on 12/18/2007, -3/+9I am personally on Kryual's side here... I think it is completely plausible the school is covering it's ass. I mean they probably got loads of phone calls and emails and will do anything to shut us up.
        • asforme, on 12/18/2007, -1/+2Wouldn't surprise me. The letter could be legit, now the school says that the detention is for arguing with the teacher over it being a better browser, not actually using it. Who knows.
  • Hoogs, on 12/18/2007, -0/+27Figures, since it seemed to be the only picture I've seen here where everyone wasn't screaming "Photoshopped!"
  • joot2112, on 12/18/2007, -0/+32Guess whose detention is getting extended ... ?
  • boltmasterzero, on 12/18/2007, -9/+2http://duggmirror.com
  • SLuM, on 12/18/2007, -0/+13Digg is just like anyplace else where people gather turn into mob mentality, only a select few will not be swayed by illogical sayings and check facts.
    • Hacbarton, on 12/18/2007, -1/+3What fact checking was I supposed to do? Go to the school and interview witnesses? Keep in mind, I didn't call/email them, but I did fall for it, and will say so without shame. Especially since several kids at my school have received detention for Firefox.
  • scabbers, on 12/18/2007, -3/+21I didn't email the school because even it was true, I don't give a *****.
  • bouts0099, on 12/18/2007, -2/+12Hmm i think the kid did get suspension for using firefox. Its just that they probably said it was because of failure to follow a teachers directive. FTA "Detention is assigned in our schools after appropriate warnings are given. If students continue to engage in non-academic activities or fail to follow a teacher’s directive during class time, discipline can and will be assigned."
    Whether or not the slip was altered the reason for the detention was probably because he was using firefox.
  • .Steven, on 12/18/2007, -3/+4Internet Hoax? Why not just call it a Hoax?
  • wetmetalthong, on 12/18/2007, -1/+29ROFL! Did anyone else notice they consider "ketchup pack" to be part of the lunch menu? ***** awesome.
  • moo083, on 12/18/2007, -4/+8I don't see this as a Hoax. I mean, the kid was still in detention. In fact, I thought thats what happened at the start of this. Admittedly, he didn't listen to the teacher, but the teacher would not even consider his reasoning for his action. If teachers don't train students to think like individuals, its going to hurt them in the long run.
    • jbnumba1, on 12/18/2007, -1/+1Exactly,

      The teachers are just teaching him to accept that if authority says to do, or not to do, something, no matter how stupid of a reason, that it must be done. I think he should have been praised for not being a coward and doing something just because someone said so.
      • Eluvium, on 12/18/2007, -0/+1Yeah man! You should go through life going against what everyone says! That makes you an individual! Everyone else is out to get you, it's not for productivity, efficiency, or safety at all, they're trying to mold you into a mindless robot that can't think for yourself.

        Please, learn the difference between 'being a coward and doing something just because someone said so' and picking your battles.
    • duranal, on 12/18/2007, -0/+2Get over it already. You're such a ***** whiner. It's probably time you realize that not everything in life is fair. Maybe if your parents hadn't coddled your ass you'd realize this. The student made a decision and now he must accept the consequences. Take your medicine like a man.
    • tricks574, on 12/18/2007, -0/+0The kid should have listened to his teacher. Don't overreact to something stupid, like a kid being forced to use IE. Many teachers are largely ignorant of anything beyond IE, and seeing anything downloaded onto a school computer when most schools specify that you are not allowed to download any programs onto their computers. Its not like the kid was suspended for using Firefox on his laptop he brought to school, he was suspended for violating the agreement he had with the school to use their computers.
    • Mytheral, on 12/18/2007, -0/+1I just didn't go to my detentions...

      OSS ftw
      (out of school suspension)
  • Flappy3, on 12/18/2007, -1/+41What if he used Firefox while cutting food with a knife and singing 'Welcome to the Jungle"?
  • dhVyse, on 12/18/2007, -0/+1Thank GOD I know this was a hoax. Even though I forgot about it 5 minutes after reading the headline. But thank god I know it wasn't true now.
  • soot, on 12/18/2007, -2/+6I'll bet all of you people who got tough and made all those calls to the school feel like asses now.
    • BOFH2, on 12/18/2007, -0/+3You would hope so. But they don't . They feel like they stuck it to the "man" no matter what.
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