Student's Freedom of Speech

Today I read an article that talked about cyberbullying and first amendment rights on the internet. The article, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28629118/ , centers on two separate stories. The first deals with a good student who won an election in school, but had to give up the position because of things she said online about the office at the school. The second is a bullying case by a mother that lead to the death of a 13 year old girl. 

The thing that shocks me about these is that there seems to be no way for the government to figure this out. I know with all these cases if we apply a hard and fast rule it will not work out much of the time. The thing that I see is that the internet does not give everyone the right to say what we want. Personally, I believe I should be held liable if I say damaging or lies about others on the internet. It is my responsibility to use the resources we have responsibly. In the case of the student blowing off steam at the administration it is clear to me that she made a choice and there should be consequences. If we take away consequences for children and youth there are going to be some serious issues in coming generations. 

Most of us want to protect those we know and especially our children. I, on one youth trip, battled the leaders of the trip because they were accusing my youth with out any proof of wrong doing. I stood up for the youth, but still talked with my youth about being good examples. If they would have admitted it to me then we would have addressed the situation and asked them how would be the best way to solve it. If it had come out they did something and I fought to not have them take any consequences then what am I teaching? 

One of the biggest things that I learned in psychology about raising children is using natural consequences. I think the dinner table is excellent. The child gets to make a choice of if they want to eat what the family is eating. If they refuse then they can pass on dinner. The natural consequence is that they are hungry. They know the result and choose it. They have power in the situation and choose between not liking taste or hunger. 

It is simple things like this that can allow us to help teach youth about responsibility, consequences, solutions, and accountability. When we go to battle for the youth defending their right to slander, harass, lie, or bully what are we teaching? Youth are going to complain about teachers, leaders, adults, and even one another. (If you don't believe me then spend 30 minutes around a group of Jr. High students) What differs is where and how they are doing this. Are they publishing? Or are they talking in the car? How are we responding when we over hear this conversations? We have a responsibility to demonstrate better options for our own frustration. 

In the end I hope that the girl loses the case. Youth need to be protected, but so do adults.