Remember those racist tweets....

[Forty_Sixand2]

High School Students In New England Face Suspension From Team Activity For Racist Joel Ward Tweets



Hopefully these idiots learned something.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

High School Students In New England Face Suspension From Team Activity For Racist Joel Ward Tweets



Hopefully these idiots learned something.

Unlikely.

Hopefully though if they're allowed to resume some of their athletic activities, it's against some east Baltimore teams.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

 

[SLY]

Meh. The School should have no say in the matter.

 

[filosofy29]

Good find 46. I'm glad those idiots are facing some ramifications for their stupidity.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Meh. The School should have no say in the matter.

I'm with you on this. They are idiots, but unless this was from a school computer the school shouldn't be involved. Also, I'm not sure how big I am on policing the internet in terms of free speech.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

Courts have generally held that schools have a right to restrict free speech to a greater extent than other institutions, generally under the premise that the speech could cause a significant distraction in the education environment.

And it's not unheard of for students to be suspended for things occurring outside of school, though those are usually criminal activities.

The article does note though that they aren't being suspended from school, just sports. Depending on the racial makeup of the schools and their sports team, the school may hang their hats on the distraction argument or the potential safety threat that the Tweeters could face if they have non-white teammates.

 

[filosofy29]

I'm with you on this. They are idiots, but unless this was from a school computer the school shouldn't be involved. Also, I'm not sure how big I am on policing the internet in terms of free speech.

I understand where you guys (you and Sly) are coming from in that the school shouldn't get involved.....but I'm ok with it. I kind of look at this way:

Kind of similar to a Darwin Award. If you're that stupid to do it from your poersonal Twitter account where people know who you are.....you just kind of deserve whatever you get. Especially in an age where too many people and accountability can't be used in the same sentence. In my humble opinion, the internet has made WAY too many people feel invincible/invisible. I'm glad this got some light shed on it.

This could be a good learning experience for the young folks involved. If they want to play sports, they can always transfer to another HS.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Playing sports is not a right though, it is a privilege.

 

[SLY]

I agree, what they did was stupid. Suspending for something criminal related is completely acceptable. Something done over a social media site, not so much. Unless they are talking about blowing up the school, or something serious on that level. So long as they are not "preaching" their racism within school, the school should have nothing to do with it except maybe have a counselor contact them. This is going a little to far infringing on their freedoms.

 

[SLY]

Playing sports is not a right though, it is a privilege.

It is still tied to school and not a privately run organization. Publicly funded for the most part. If they are not spewing their racism on the field or in the school, there should be no repercussions there.

Like I said, a counselor should contact them and/or the parents, and go from there.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

Meh. The School should have no say in the matter.

Wrong.

As members of a varsity team they are representing their school. It is at the discretion of the administrators as to who they let represent their school. Character, integrity and sportsmanship are integral parts of scholastic sports teams. Nothing flies in the face of that more than spouting racist bullshit on the internet after your team loses a close battle.

 

[SLY]

Yes. But this was not done at school. 'Nuff said. They represent the school at school, or on the field. If the suspension is criminally motivated, so be it, but this isn't.

This is going to just be a neverending debate, I am not PC at all.

 

[elocomotive]

I agree, what they did was stupid. Suspending for something criminal related is completely acceptable. Something done over a social media site, not so much. Unless they are talking about blowing up the school, or something serious on that level. So long as they are not "preaching" their racism within school, the school should have nothing to do with it except maybe have a counselor contact them. This is going a little to far infringing on their freedoms.

Students/minors don't have the same "freedoms" and rights as adults.

 

[puckhead]

Yes. But this was not done at school. 'Nuff said. They represent the school at school, or on the field. If the suspension is criminally motivated, so be it, but this isn't.

This is going to just be a neverending debate, I am not PC at all.

absolutely wrong.

if you are a fucking asshole off school grounds, it still reflects poorly on the school.
they aren't taking away the right to education, they are taking away the privilege of extra-curricular activities. big difference.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Well, whatever, they are racist punks and got what they deserved, in my opinion.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

Yes. But this was not done at school. 'Nuff said. They represent the school at school, or on the field. If the suspension is criminally motivated, so be it, but this isn't.

This is going to just be a neverending debate, I am not PC at all.

Nor am I but as a coach or athletic administrator I would feel it my duty to have my team represented by quality individuals. These idiots went out of their way to show that they have no character.

I would also make sure that all members, or potential members, of my team can feel comfortable. Again these idiots fell short.

Finally, these kids need to be taught some accountability. They made a mistake and will now pay for it by missing out on an opportunity. They will not be deprived of their right to an education but rather they have had a privilege revoked.

 

[SLY]

Nor am I but as a coach or athletic administrator I would feel it my duty to have my team represented by quality individuals. These idiots went out of their way to show that they have no character.

I would also make sure that all members, or potential members, of my team can feel comfortable. Again these idiots fell short.

Finally, these kids need to be taught some accountability. They made a mistake and will now pay for it by missing out on an opportunity. They will not be deprived of their right to an education but rather they have had a privilege revoked.

It just should not be done this way is all. The school is a seperate entity from their personal lives. If they posted from a school computer, or started ranting racism in school, then by all means, yes, suspend them from sports as well as school. If I was a neo-nazi, my work can't fire me. A school should have no say either what takes place outside of their confines. Unless of course it is criminally driven.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Out of curiosity, had the racist tweets had been directed at an entertainer rather than at an athlete, do you think the punishment would have been the same? Does it even get looked into?

 

[SLY]

Students/minors don't have the same "freedoms" and rights as adults.

True. I dunno... I am not completely well versed with laws. Can a school really legally do what they're doing? I feel like this almost falls into the "seperation of church and state" type of category, no?