Caught In 4K

Staff uses social media photos to justify punishments; students, parents react

By Djb21642 and Gryphon171

Over the last few weeks, Stevenson deans have sent out a wave of passes, punishing students for sleeping in class and parking poorly. In order to support such consequences, they have been using evidence from student-run Instagram accounts.

Stevenson-specifc student-run accounts have grown rapidly in recent months, amassing hundreds of followers and receiving praise from much of the student body. However, the administration has recently decided to use the accounts as proof for punishment, citing rules against the behavior displayed on them.

In a higher profle case, Todd Tollman ’22, who parked poorly near Door 18, had his parking privileges revoked. After a statement was issued from his parents, Stevenson’s practices have been met with community backlash.

“I was in a rush to get to school recently, which caused me to park poorly,” Tollman said. “I usually park fne but it was just not my day. And now my dean is tracking me!”

The manner in which deans use social media posts as evidence has sparked debates over the invasion of privacy. Some wonder if deans actually have the right to use Instagram as evidence for punishment. Other students getting punished note that they aren’t too sad as a couple detentions are worth the internet fame they’re receiving. Students featured on the accounts claim that they’ve “gained clout.”

The picture used as evidence in Tollman’s case was posted on @stevensonbadparking describing it as a “predicament.” In the picture, Tollman’s car was seemingly horizontally parked between adjacent spots.

In their public statement, Tollman’s parents declared that they are against any form of punishment and appalled that their BMW had been pictured without consent. The family stressed that no one has the right to violate their privacy. Despite the public backlash, the school has stood by their decision to roll out punishments. Dean Anthony Holl noted an increase in student accountability.

“It’s been really slow down at the station, what I like to call the Dean’s offce,” Holl said. “This infux of evidence of wrongdoing is making it easier for students to be held accountable. Less violations have occurred since.”

Holl noted that as the school has begun to scower social media looking for these violations, faculty have come accross internet trends they do not understand, prompting the administration to create a webinar to help.

Another student, Sammy Somnoliento ’24, was sent to the dean after being pictured asleep in the back of class using his backpack as a pillow and a white board as a blanket. His dean had to send multiple passes as he missed the frst few calls to the offce, assumingly due to sleeping.

“I had a very big test the period after so I had to catch some quick ZZZs to get a three,” Somnoliento said. He said that the white board was used because he could not fnd any other ways to get warm and desperately needed comfort.

Along with detentions, students sleeping in class are now encouraged to purchase caffeinated goods from Jazman’s or the newly added energy drinks from the vending machines. For students being punished for poor parking, parking privileges are being downgraded to train station parking.

“Before students make the poor decision of sleeping in class or parking badly, they need to think: do I want the internet or deans to see a picture of this?” Holl said. “I don’t think so, buddy. If they make the decision anyway, someone will snap a pic, and the students will be meeting with yours truly.”

The post used as evidence in the Tollman case: