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80 Comments
- Sarki, on 10/12/2007, -10/+42It's the Barbara Streisand effect come to bite the school in the ass. If the Principal had let it be, it would have gotten old and blown over. But her tried to fight it *using school resources* and turned it into a crusade, and now this ***** is actually in court. The principal is supposed to be an adult, no?
- Kelex, on 10/12/2007, -1/+27"Trosch and the school's IT person attempted to block MySpace, but students were "backdooring a fire wall and getting into" it anyway."
Man they need to hire a new IT person... he can't even figure out how to block myspace using a "firewall" LOL
l2use-a-proxy - keithc01, on 10/12/2007, -1/+23the fact that he's taking steps to cancel computer programming class is what bugs me the most. that's just horrible.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+18http://www.aclupa.org/downloads/Justinswebsite.pdf
I just wish I was in on the "big" refrences. Seems to have great LOL potential. - Ghstfce, on 10/12/2007, -5/+22He's suing because they "hurt his earning potential"? You don't think suing a bunch of kids and wasting time and resources of your place of employment over a prank might have a _little_ something to do with it? You my good sir, are a tool. You aren't getting paid what you feel you should be because your actions speak for themselves. You're not going to make a higher end salary on scale if that is how you overreact to a situation. Simple business. And yes, the IT guy is a moron. Anyone in IT (with the exception of that guy) knows how to stop people from accessing anything using a proxy.
- fatdog789, on 10/12/2007, -0/+16Lesson 1: In English/American law, libel/slander includes fraudulent misrepresentations of a factual nature. That means: saying some guy is a jerk is okay, because that's an opinion. Saying some guy likes to molest children is a factual assertion.
Lesson 2: Calling someone a child molester is not a parody. For people who work with children, it can ruin their career. That's cut and dry, especially when hysterical parents blow everything out of proportion.
Lesson 3: People are responsible for their own actions. These students deserve to be punished severely. They called this guy a child molester not once but several times, and kept up the page even after iterations were taken down. That demonstrates an intent beyond mere parody; that shows a clear intent to harass.
Lesson 4: Adults DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY. They did not grow up with computers. Generation X was the first to grow up with comps in their childhood, Gen Y to grow up with plentiful interaction with computers. This guy didn't know what the MySpace issue was, so he did the most appropriate thing: he asked the tech guy. This is directly analogous to the teacher who was arrested because spyware showed porn on the computer and she didn't know how to turn it off.
Lesson 5: Don't make ***** up about other people. IF you don't like someone, express your opinion (He's a jerk/dumbass/*****/whatever), but don't lie about them.
If these kids were adults, nobody would be defending them. - ShinerMan, on 10/12/2007, -2/+14I hope they sue Tom too. With his smug smile just sitting there with all those friends.
- radu79, on 10/12/2007, -9/+20@Sarki:
So are you saying that if someone does something like that to you (ruins your reputation) you shouldn't sue them?
And of course the principal used the school resources, because that was a case which involved the school. It doesn't matter that the student made those fake profiles form home.
If I work for google, and post ***** about the company from my home computer, then I get fired as a result, should I go cry to ACLU? - VeganG, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11@keithc01:
The saddest part is that anyone equates "creating a Myspace page" with "computer programming." - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+13We made a myspace about my principal last year. It had his picture and everything because he was a pompous-ass and acted like he was the *****. It was huge and everyone was his MySpace friend. He complained and asked it to be removed and it was - end of story.
there's a line to humour with making fun of someone else - and it was crossed this time i guess.
I can understand the suit for damaging his reputation. However, the power trip was unnecessary. - orbit1979, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11I disagree with author of this article. Those students committed a serious offense, some of us know it as defamation of character. In the adult world, this could have serious consequences, why should it not in the academic world, were part of the learning experience is learning respect and discipline? I think the attitude here is part of a broader problem of simply "slapping kids on the wrist" or worse cases simply ignoring it or down playing the offenses. The author says that the principle should have just let it go, implying that if the principle had nothing to hide, what's the big deal? Lets get real, people love gossip, and often that gossip becomes "fact", especially what these students accused the principle of being.
p.s. the students are only sorry and admit it was stupid because they got caught. they knew exactly what they were doing. - ChristianBk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9You know, back in the days before Myspace and AOL was all the rage, my friends & I created a screen name "Mr.(teacher's name)". We IMed students that were in our classes and used a lot of the lingo he always used in class.
Looking back on it, it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. But making our high school colleagues really believe it was the teacher IMing him/her & that he was so oblivious to what the whole IM thing was still makes me laugh today. - CoBLeviathan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9@Kelex
I think he meant:
"..back in the days before Myspace [when] AOL was all the rage..." - Lorian, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9The students probably used a proxy.
I have yet to find one that is not blocked at my school, so I just set one up on my home server. Comes in handy because most digg story pages get filtered because of something someone said in a comment. - Kelex, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I know for a fact that trying to filter websites using a firewall is not a good practice. Their IT "professional" needs to go back to he technical school he attended lol.
Its really sad how because their IT guy doesn't understand computer security they had to suspend everyones computer rights at the school. - radu79, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7From TFA, they didn't make a 'honest' MySpace page about how he is a bad guy, they made a fake page accusing him of all kind of untrue things.
Just because you think someone is bad doesn't give you the right to do that, or else every human being would have (and create) fake MySpace pages. - ahoy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Retarded.
I cant think of anything else to say. - mandarin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6How much resources do you need to block myspace.com from your network?
- MiDri, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6High school IT guys are the guys that could not get any other IT job, that includes working at say an mom and pop ISP.
- fatdog789, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6He took steps to counter severely slanderous and libelous statements made about him that could, if misinterpreted as true, result in his firing. Child molestation isn't a joke to people who work with children; even the hint of it could cost someone a job or ruin their life.
He may have gone overboard, but people who don't know a lot about computers usually do when they face a computer-based problem.
Don't blame the victim when the little ***** forced him to act and ruined it for their fellow students. - strictnein, on 10/12/2007, -5/+10Ars isn't a blog you idiot.
- Wolfie351, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5That only applies to public figures. A school principal is a regular Joe, they are not elected and are not considered public figures.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6This guy is a bit overdoing it, making the situation worse for himself. If you are educated enough to pass judgment on either party, then you need to be educated on how myspace works. Therefore, you should know that anyone can make any profile about anybody. He should just take a stand in himself and say to his peers that it is just a joke, and polietly ask the kids and their parents to take it down.
Now it has gone to the courts... the only people who win there are lawyers. - cherrick, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4That was the point of saying he "liked having sex with students and brutalizing women?"
- ZachRetox, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4This article used alot of "unnecessary" quotations.
- consonance, on 10/12/2007, -5/+8Ironically, the principal proved himself a hard-ass, which was the whole point of his fake Myspace profile...
- vertinox, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4@"So are you saying that if someone does something like that to you (ruins your reputation) you shouldn't sue them?"
Well of course, but you shouldn't use your employer's resources unless it is your employer being defamed and is employing you to sue on their behalf.
It is like if you worked for the FBI and someone defamed you and then you uses your status as an FBI agent to investigate and carry through with a civil suit which makes you money.
That my friend is misuse of public funds.
On the other hand... If you were an FBI agent investigating a crime on behalf of a federal prosecutor then you are in line, but any government resource used for personal gain is illegal and wrong.
What he used was his status and investigating abilities as a school faculty member to pursue a civil suit. Had it been a criminal suit and assisting the authorities it would be fine. - HyperBrit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I’ve never visited MySpace and never will. All the reports I hear about it make me think it’s full of sad losers and wasters. Has anyone heard anything positive ever coming out of MySpace?
- youngandwise, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4myspace profile links or it didn't happen
- VAPerson, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I doubt a court would agree that principals aren't public figures. Police aren't elected and are in general considered public figures. I'm sure this principal had been quoted in some paper or had previously appeared at some school board meeting. This is clearly a case where the myspace page would be protected speech since it was obviously a parody. It's like saying city managers aren't public figures because they aren't elected or police chiefs aren't public figures if they aren't elected. It is sad that there are people like him in charge of the education of our youth. No wonder we, as a country, are so ignorant of our rights and what powers the government does or doesn't have given to it.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Karma FTW!
- bushface, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2i made my cat a myspace profile. it's both "obscene" and "profane". no more whiskas for him if he sues me!
- diggfan1234, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2A few people mentioned that the Principal should have just ignored the problem. I don't think that is a
realistic response. I've seen many kids (and adults) test all kinds of boundaries in everyday life. If the principal had just ignored it, the students would most likely turn things up a notch. Perhaps break out Photoshop and start posting
cropped images. A few weeks later they would be making videos.
I think the Principal and School want to make things difficult for the students involved to dissuade any other students
from doing anything like this in the future. The students have rights but those rights can't be used infringe on the rights of other students or employees in the School system. There are always better ways to handle things
but I agree with the Principal and School System for the most part. - glock22ownr, on 10/12/2007, -7/+9The abuse of power on school grounds was not justified, the lawsuit is. I knew someone that had a Xanga spoof page posted about her, and that was devastating. Xanga was also about as helpfull as a bike w. the seat missing, good luck contacting those jerkoffs. Point is that a lot of people see this as "just a joke", but perception is reality and this most likely has truly damaged his reputation. I hope he wins!
- QuackQuack, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1What amazes me is the number of people who think stuff like this is some sort of harmless "joke".
- nevetando, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1being that I am married to a teacher, I can attest that that profile could of seriously ruined that man's career for life. being accused as a child molester in a teaching capacity is a death sentence to a teacher. even if it is false, you are out of a job. This principle has every right to sue these kids for a rehensible prank. Very irresponsible and potentially life altering. But on the flip side, this guy probably should of been smart enough to realize that the kids were probably doing this from home. common sense would dictate this. attacking the computer classes and taking up the time of the school's IT guy was equally irresponsible.
- briarmoss, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1What are you talking about? That lawyer totally was a rapist, and i can't believe you would say otherwise. by libeling Al Sharpton you are showing everyone that you are a racist!
/sarcasm - orbit1979, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4^
So that's what we defamation of character these days. A joke. Here is an idea mrrockabilly, the next time you apply for a job, especially a career, let me switch your resume for a potential employer and fill it with outrages, inflammatory, and incriminating remarks regarding yourself and the employer and see how many laughs we get, how about it?
Jokes all around! - I_Miss_Megan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1First of all this was not an article but an opinion piece. There several times the author interjects his/her opinion and strays from just reporting the facts of the case. Secondly, kids need to learn that there are consequence for their actions. They blatantly committed libel against the principle and need to be held accountable. If you're going to stand on the roof top and shout your message, be sure that you can back it up. This will also serve as a warning to others who think they can post anything they want without repercussion on MySpace. The one student was supposedly worried about his academic future. Well what Ivy League school is going to admit him now seeing what kind of morals he has? Worse than that 60% of employers now Google perspective employees. If I were a tech company (wait a minute I am ) I wouldn't hire him. These kids parents need to take a look at them and ask "was it worth it?" With the suspension, alternative ed. and law suits, just the billable hours in legal fees has got to be worth a decent car. Chances are these kids are spoiled anyway which is what led them to do such a mindless act. Maybe now they have learned.
- razortongue9000, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Shouldn't authority figures know that humorous slander and libel are risks of the job that can't be taken as a personal insult (unless perhaps they're being insulted by someone who actually knows them personally and not just in a legally-bound-to-attend-your-place-of-work sort of way)...
I think the students could've just put up a disclaimer and made it all better. - Avalontor, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2so that makes it OK?
- Zergo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Using a proxy like squid, in transparent mode, should have been enough to circumvent accessing myspace in class. There are also other methods that could be used to stop students from accessing social networking websites.
I would agree that the IT administrator probably should have been getting off his ass and doing his job more effectively, instead of jeopardizing the student's education. - LonesomeFighter, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"Trosch and the IT person discussed shutting down all the computers in the school"
then no hw can be given that requires a computer (research, typing papers, etc). cuz it would be unfair the the poor people without home computers. but the school can revoke certain students access to computers (but there is always ways around that). - MindTrigger, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2As someone who has been working and playing on the internet since 1992, I'm extremely pleased that I have managed to avoid the apparent retard magnet known as MySpace. I just chuckle when I hear about all the moronic drama coming from that pool of bile.
- Speed, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1A bunch of Canadian students did a similar thing with Nexopia (a Canadian version of Myspace), and they ended up getting expelled form the school district (so now they have to go into Edmonton, which is an extra 10km, and the schools there are a lot more dangerous with the gangs and ***** going on in Edmonton.
- ccanni1028, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I almost did that with my English professor this year. He changed his email address three times in the first month of the semester, and doesn't know how to use BCC so everyone has everyone else's addresses.
- shadownight, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I sue you, you sue me, everybody sues everybody...
- Whamola, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2A few friends of mine and I did something similar to this to an English teacher at my former high school. The only difference is that we tried to make it look as close to real as possible. The only reason we got in trouble for it was because of the other morons that attend the school making rather lewd comments on the profile. But yeah, I don't really feel too sorry for these guys, sometimes you need to learn that there will be repercussions for your actions.
- DearDearDarla, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Certain Diggsters need a lesson on the definition of "prank". Insinuating, let's say, that the principal was an alien from another planet -- prank. Posting and REposting several times that he abused children was and is malicious.
Of course high school students view principals as hard-asses. Hard-ass principals have always been necessary in high schools. Otherwise the patients rule the asylums. - livesNbox, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2BIGGER mess.....
/me loves to see meat heads getting pissed off when they can't do anything about it. -
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