Call it a love of privacy rights or the disdain at having Big Brother look over my shoulder, there’s something in me that becomes suspicious when an institution of authority adopts policies that give them the power to monitor others.

It’s a feeling that I’m sure many students and staff in Grand Blanc schools will share since the school board adopted a computer use policy that gives the district the power — and punishment privileges — to monitor what students and staff are doing on school computers.
While monitoring on-campus use isn’t anything new, the disturbing new element of the policy is that it allows the district to punish students for things they write on their private computers in their own homes.

The policy now states: any off-campus computer use or activity that is libelous or invades the rights of staff members and could result in tort liability, that invades the rights of or threatens the safety of staff members or Grand Blanc students; or that as a result of the contents, presents a likelihood of causing a material and substantial disruption of the proper and orderly operation of the school district, will be subject to discipline in accordance with the penalties set forth in the student handbook and/or use policy.”

Clearly, an attorney wrote this.
“Sometimes students go home and put out things from a private computer that are not nice about another student or staff member,” said assistant Supt. Norman Abdella. “There is no free license to do and say whatever you want.”

For some reason, the First Amendment comes to mind.

The policy is clearly intended for more severe situations (I hope), like threats, intimidation or vicious remarks. In the post-Columbine days districts have, out of necessity, enhanced their security systems.

But, what of the off-handed remark that someone may just not like? College students across the world use “Rate your Professor” websites to inform fellow students about a particular instructor’s teaching style. If a student at Grand Blanc writes that Mr. Smith is a bore and you won’t learn anything in his class, should that comment be punishable?

The problem with policies like this and the resulting disciplinary actions is that they do not address the underlying cause of the complaint or scandalous remark; they just seek to punish.
For years, school districts have been saying it’s not their role to be a parent to the students: they certainly don’t seem to mind being an ad hoc police department.

Penalties for using personal computers to say something against a staff member or student range from a warning to expulsion

One hopes that whoever implements the policy will actually employ some wisdom in using it.

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