Posted on 06/02/2011 7:34:45 AM PDT by EBH
Facebook and college go hand and hand these days — students read up on each other, share funny videos, send messages, and publicize those embarrassing photos from the night before. At Saint Augustine’s College, however, posting the wrong thing on Facebook will land you in hot water.
The Raleigh, N.C., college prohibited senior Roman Caple from participating in his class’ graduation because of a “negative social media exchange” he had on Facebook regarding the school’s response to the April 16th tornado damage.
What Caple is being punished for is encouraging his peers on SAC’s Facebook page to go to the school’s public meeting to argue for what he thought was the best way to respond to the tornado damage.
“Here it go!!!!!” he wrote. “Students come correct, be prepared, and have supporting documents to back up your arguments bcuz SAC will come hard!!!! That is all.”
Several days later, Caple met with SAC Vice President for Student Development and Services Eric W. Jackson, who that same day informed Caple that he would not be allowed to walk with his class.
In a letter to Caple, Jackson explained that the reason for his prohibition was the Facebook comments, adding that “[a]ll students enrolled at Saint Augustine’s College are responsible for protecting the reputation of the college and supporting its mission.”
While graduation has already happened, without Caple participating, the student is still fighting the decision. His attorney, Brandon S. Atwater, has sought help from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE).
“While it promises free speech, Saint Augustine’s College has apparently rolled out a brand new, unwritten ‘don’t challenge our decisions on Facebook’ rule that warrants keeping a student out of graduation ceremonies,” FIRE senior vice president Robert Shibley said.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Stock stuff for this time of year, following the usual “they wouldn’t let me take my lesbian partner to the prom” laments in May.
Stock stuff for this time of year, following the usual “they wouldn’t let me take my lesbian partner to the prom” laments in May.
I don’t get what he said.
I am with you, what did he say that is so bloody offensive? bring documentation of what?
Is Saint Augustine’s College a private institution?
If so, it’s their call..................
With this evidence of his lack of command of the English language it's no wonder he was denied graduation!
bcuz U not come correct, no come hard!!!!
If they chose to withhold his diploma for the atrocious misuse of spelling and grammar, that might have been understandable.
But holding him out of graduation because he asked classmates to go and discuss something at a public meeting? That’s insane.
Of course, as with many of these stories, we are only seeing a partial view of a single side of things. There may be more going on that the alleged victim wants to discuss.
Maybe he is being denied a diploma because he is illiterate?
“Here it go!!!!!” he wrote. “Students come correct, be prepared, and have supporting documents to back up your arguments bcuz SAC will come hard!!!! That is all.”
Huh? If anything he should be denied a diploma. “I be a college grad-u-ate.”
Maybe it’s a private institution, maybe they can do what they want, but I want to see them suffer for this. A kid is doing what anyone in a free society ought to be encouraged to do and they’re punishing him. Sounds like a bunch of snake handlers to me.
He posted this on the SCHOOL's facebook page...and there are likely...RULES...
His darn message almost looks coded.
“Is Saint Augustine’s College a private institution?
If so, it’s their call..................”
Not if he paid them money. They have a contractual obligation.
It's quite an experience to undergo a Judicial Board hearing and watching an internationally-known philosophy professor act like a NAZI judge.
All your base are belong to us!
I agree. Grammar aside, it seems the college’s complaint is that the student disagreed with policy. He was encouraging others to attend a public forum where policy was being discussed in order to advance an alternative view; there is nothing more “American”. All the stakeholders (students, faculty, staff, parents, community members, etc) should be asked to do the same - it’s a shame not more of them are as engaged...
Look at BYU, they are private, and make their incoming students sign guidelines that they agree to follow or suffer the punishment, if they didn't do that, those kids could turn around and sue the school.
Tornado or not, this is always good advice, whether you're a college student, office worker or CEO. FWIW, the Army does indeed lose 201 files and you military people should have copies of your paperwork in your own personal family file away from the military.
In essence, a commuting (i.e. non-campus-resident) student who is not even directly involved in the administration's handling of issues related to tornado damage posts a semi-literate accusation that the administration is taking a hard line obstructive position on the issues and urges students to be prepared for a confrontation with the school. Most likely there is more to this story (on both sides) than is being reported. Reflexively, I would usually side with FIRE on almost any challenge against so-called institutions of higher education as FIRE usually takes up the cause of the type of students that the ACLU tends to ignore. In this case, it almost appears that a budding furture community organizer is learning that chicago-style flash mob activism doesn't always play well.
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