Social media postings land another group of College Students in discipline. This time a fraternity at Arizona State University was suspended and a number of students involved in the party are facing discipline for a racist Martin Luther King day party. Read about the facts here.
This is not the first time that social media such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram has gotten a College Student brought up on disciplinary charges. College Students need to know that anything that is posted by you or depicting you on the Internet or social media can be used by your college or university to charge you with a disciplinary violation. This an be an action against another student such as threats, harassment or bullying. Or pictures or posts involving drugs or alcohol. All of this is sanctionable behavior and the college can use those posting against the student in a disciplinary hearing.
This has sparked some more debate about the Internet and Free Speech in a college disciplinary context. Does the University Code of Conduct trump the college students’ Freedom of Speech? Can a college student be disciplined by a University for his speech alone? I would bet if the school can find a viable violation of the Code they will discipline the students when they don’t like the speech. Just a hunch.
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