Quote:
Originally Posted by RainMaker
I'm sort of torn on this issue. On one hand, it's a free society and this is part of growing up. I don't know how you can fairly police it and what it would do to our school and legal system if we made drastic changes. Teenagers are basically sociopathic shitbags trying to find their place on the social pyramid. Not sure if you can ever stop bullying as it impacts free speech and other civil rights.
|
Civil rights are kinda selective in schools anyway. Student newspapers are free to say whatever they want that the administration will allow, for example.
Warrantless search and seizure exists on any campus that has metal detectors at the entrances, or random drug dog sniffing of the lockers.
The right to bear arms is, of course, right out.
Equal protection only applies in certain cases. School-sponsored extracurriculars, for example. Schools have canceled prom/other formal events because of interrracial/same-gender dating issues.
All of which is to say, concern for civil rights when it comes to preventing bullying is kind of short-sighted. Precedent already exists for infringement in other areas, especially when student safety and health is at risk (see the aforementioned metal detectors, and the story Foz posted last year about the female who was strip-searched over pain medication; I think that one ended with a decision along the lines of 'they fucked up, but they can't be held responsible for it, so piss off').