Page 4 • The ENUMCLAW Courier-Herald • Wednesday, January 15, 2014
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She said all the kids are Disciplinary or Education “great kids” and the person The female student said accessing the accounts was she felt the interviews by “targeting certain groups of the administration were kids.” disciplinary. Parents conThe student said the tacted by The Courierfemales felt they were being Herald said they thought cyberstalked. the interviews were “Going out and disciplinary, despite finding us on our what the school disTwitter accounts, trict said. looking over our Nelson noted feeds. It was creepy,” that no formal disshe said. ciplinary forms She said she were added to the understood adults Mike Nelson students’ record, would consider the which would be posts inappropriate accessible by parand, “not what adults want ents online through the to see … don’t go out and district website. search for it.” The school administraThe student said the tion described the intergroup of students deter- views as an investigation mined which Twitter that was more formal, with account was following notes of the interviews kept. them. The account did not One parent said the stuuse an individual’s name. dent and parents were told She said the person com- to sign a form stating they municated with them. were interviewed. There was no evidence that The parents of the stuinappropriate language was dent following the interused by the person follow- view insisted the school ing the students. administration remove the The Twitter account and notes from the student’s the communication was file, which they were told confirmed by parents and was done. students. According to Nelson, the Nelson and school second set of interviews in administrators said they November were less formal, were not aware the person which is why the students following the students was were called from class and also communicating with parents were contacted them. later. The school adminisFarr said she could not tration said no notes were state who followed the stu- kept of the second set of dents because of attorney- interviews. Nelson said when the client privilege.
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right of the school district to monitor social media accounts, personal social media accounts, that has Herald will not be using nothing to do with school the students’ names who related issues.” spoke at the meeting and in Kari Christensen asked phone interviews since all board members, “(What) are minors. are you going to do State Rep. Cathy to protect my famDahlquist, a former ily from this perEnumclaw School son that for some Board member, reason finds it cool spoke at the meetto look at a 17-yearing, asking the old girl’s Twitter board to reconsider account?” the district’s harass- Cathy Dahlquist A female student ment and bullying said, “I understand policy. that I may have “…in the state legislature said some offensive things when we pushed this anti- I should not have been saybullying and harassment ing on the Internet. I didn’t through, the intent was think the school should get for it to protect students,” involved. Especially when Dahlquist said. “And what I was out of school…. I felt we found is there are people like I was really targeted by in this community, right this as well as other kids.” now who are using it to Mauricio Portillio Sr. their benefit to bully and said, “Someone told me this stalk and harass children, is the land of free and home as we speak.” of the brave. And I don’t Dahlquist added, “We think this person (who folare all born in the United lowed the Twitter accounts) States of America; we have is brave.” the First Amendment to Another female student free speech. Kids might say said, “I’m very responsithings, adults might say ble… taking care of my own things we don’t like. They business. I think it is really may call each other names inappropriate for someone we don’t like. Unless there to be going through all my is a victim, there is no bul- stuff.” lying or harassment.” Dahlquist does not Students believe the district should A female student who have called students out of was interviewed by phone class without contacting said she did not believe the parents first and added, school should have been “I do not believe it is the involved.
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school district received the complaints the students and parents needed to be contacted. “I don’t think it should have been put in a drawer or file and not have parents know we have information about their child,” Nelson said. Nelson also said the board was informed as soon as the complaints were made.
Farr Law Group
Farr said during an interview at her office that she and Gabrielson were trying to point out a “cultural problem” in Enumclaw and their intent was not to get “anyone in trouble or target any child.” Farr said they were representing a client who brought the issue to them. “We looked into this and we were horrified by what we saw. We know Enumclaw is better than this. We hope the result of this will be a candid community discussion.” Farr also said she wanted the students to understand what they are doing on social media, which is public, and the consequences of the posts. She said the firm’s intent was for the school, parents and students to take the issue seriously. Farr said inappropriate social media posts can cause problems for students trying to get jobs, scholarships and accepted to colleges. She said it is not a personal issue for the firm but the motivation is to begin a conversation. “Students publishing anti-Semitic sentiments, racist and anti-gay slurs to other students in the public forum of Twitter creates a hostile environment in our schools,” Farr wrote in an email. “In this matter, as an advocate, my job is to speak for those individuals fearful to speak alone. I think we can all agree that an educational environment where everyone – students, teachers and staff – feels safe in the halls and classrooms is worth advocating for.”
ACLU
Attorney Linda Mangel, education equity expert with the American Civil Liberty Union, said during a phone interview, “schools cannot discipline students for speech and other activities that takes place outside of school on outside computers unless it disrupts schools.” Mangel said the schools do have a “wide berth to call kids down (out of class) and discuss behavior.” She said schools should be cautious about “meddling in students’ offcampus activities unless they call them down to express concern.” Mangel said the students need to be aware that social media is public and to be cautious and careful. “There is no such thing as a private conversation online,” Mangel said. The ACLU has a guide on its website titled, “Student Rights and Responsibilities in the Digital Age.” The guide details how the state and U.S. Constitution “guarantee freedom of expression for everyone, including students. Students do not give up their constitutional rights when they walk onto school grounds.” A PDF file of the guide will be posted to The Courier-Herald website linked to this story.
Conclusion
The school board will be considering changes to the district bullying policy. Nelson said the district wants to be certain students are safe and, “We don’t want kids bullied.” The question for the board is whether to allow adults in the community to anonymously file a bullying report, as was done in this case. The district would continue to allow students to report anonymously concerning harassment and bullying. “We are all trying to get our arms around social media,” Nelson said.
One act plays to be staged by EHS drama Enumclaw High drama students will present, for the fourth year, a “oneact competition.” Featured will be three one-act plays, with the audience determining a winner.
There also will be a 2 p.m. matinee on Jan. 19. With a running time of less than two hours, the competition carries at PG rating.
They will choose from a funny play, a serious play or one about Pokemon.
Admission is $8, but students with an ASB will be admitted free.
The curtain goes up at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 16, 17 and 18.
For additional information, call 360-802-7807.