School's Policy Prohibits Use Of MySpace Site (even at home - Michigan)

Click on Detroit ^ | March 23, 2007 | Click on Detroit

[LurkedLongEnough]

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. -- One Bloomfield Hills school is enforcing a new policy that will end the use of a popular Web site on the premises.

St. Hugo of the Hills Catholic School students were informed recently that under a new school policy, Think First, Stay Safe, the use of MySpace.com will be prohibited at school and at home.

The policy states that students enrolled in the school can't have a MySpace.com account or any similar type of personal site, according to a news release.

[sean327]

MySpace is gay, but this is just stupid! What someone does in the privacy of their own home is no one else's damn business!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fierce Allegiance]

St. Hugo of the Hills Catholic School students were informed recently that under a new school policy, Think First, Stay Safe, the use of MySpace.com will be prohibited at school and at home.

It's a catholic school, they can impose this if they want.

Geez, that was the second line of the article. Doesn't anyone read the article anymore?

[massgopguy]

Actually a Catholic School could violate the Constitution. Not all students at Boston College or Catholic K-12s are Catholic. Those students are not required to take Theology. They are also not required to convert at home.

[theDentist]

See post 78 (or was it 87?)

[EdArt]

The school has the right to prohibit on line activities at school but not the the right to impose it at home. The use of child safety is being used to reduce our freedoms to be flawed. Over weight kids are a real factor therefore in the name of safety/health the school should ban the eating of fatty foods at home. The school is there to educated-which most are doing a poor job of it-not regulate the homes of its students.

[arizonarachel]

I think myspace is fine for people like me: in their 20's (or older) and looking for old high school friends, or keeping in touch with friends back home. I won't allow my son (or subsequent children) to be on myspace. But by the time he's old enough, I don't know what kind of weird stuff will be out there!

[xsmommy]

hey, don't set foot in a religious school and you need never concern yourself with it. it's a FREE COUNTRY, you are FREE not to pay tuition and instead attend a gov't school!

[xsmommy]

they are also not required to attend a Catholic school and can be ejected for any reason including noncompliance with school rules. rules apply to all students, not just the catholic ones.

[Texas_shutterbug]

Excellent point about the school's reputation being tarnished due to photos of "debauchery." :)

[Texas_shutterbug]

The school is a private association enforcing their own rules.

We have a private homeschool group and we limit membership to certain standards as well. Are you going to tell me we are behaving in an unconstitutional manner? What makes us different from the private school?

Think about it. :)

[Texas_shutterbug]

Glad to see you "admit" you may be wrong publicly.

I salute you. :)

[xsmommy]

theDentist is a standup guy even though he wields that drill : )

[Texas_shutterbug]

When it comes to setting rules, MANY parents choose private schools because they reinforce their own standards. I'd bet this is a very popular rule with the parents. If it isn't, then it's obviously not the place for them.

Think about it.

Besides, as someone pointed out, think about the bad Catholic school girls' reputation when one of them posts "naughty" pics on MySpace. Yuck. I'm sure that's the main reason the school doesn't want their students posting. Kids post just anything on the web these days.

[PAR35]

But I still believe someone is going to take it to the courts.

Now I can agree with that. All you need to file suit is a pen, paper, and filing fee.

[Ace of Spades]

There's nothing in the Constitution preventing the school from doing as it pleases. However, there's also nothing in the Constitution guaranteeing the school's religious tax-exempt status. They want to act like a typical private organization? Fine, they can pay taxes like one.

[xsmommy]

exactly. as a parent paying private school tuition, i want to see the parent/student complaining about this rule booted out, rather than see the school cave to some permissive parent's gripe. the schools know their constituency and that's exactly what they would do, boot the offender.

[hellinahandcart]

Catholic schools most certainly do have the right to impose rules of conduct in AND OUT of school, on students, parents and teachers. They already do it. They've done it for centuries. YOU have no right to demand they do otherwise.

[xsmommy]

like i said, the objectors here have no clue about catholic/private schools and probably don't even have kids.

[Calpernia]

>>>>It's a private school, and as far as I know Catholic schools aren't receiving any government funds directly.

USDA grants. Lunch and milk subsidies for students who can't afford it.

[Calpernia]

>>>there is another component to this. a school's reputation can be harmed by photos posted on a myspace page of kids dressed in uniforms or other identifying garb like clothes with the school logo, drinking underage, doing drugs, sex acts etc. the school DOES have an interest in what is posted on these sites if they are linked to the offending conduct.

Is your school rules just for MySpace? MySpace is not the only place on the internet that kids can do this.

Our school has uniform code rules. As long as a student is wearing the uniform, they are representing the school. You don't need to block a domain on the internet when code of conduct already extends to uniform.