Illinois School District Adds Blogging To Code Of Conduct

More and more we are hearing stories about blogs on My Space and others playing a role in criminal cases. (Here Here and Here) But what if what you do on your blog is not illegal? Students in the northwest suburbs of Vernon Hills and Libertyville who are involved in school activities are about to find out. The code of conduct contract has made its way into high school.

(Daily Herald)Blog entries implicating teens in illegal or improper activity — even off-campus hi-jinks — could lead to disciplinary action under a proposal before the Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128 board.

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Athletes and other students in ongoing activities must sign code-of-conduct forms, as must their parents. The rules do not apply to students not involved in such activities.

I don't have a problem with punishing people who commit crimes. That is just common sense. However, what is considered questionable or improper from a 14 - 17 uear old? Who decides what improper is? What may be improper to me may not be to you! Also, isn't that what part of being that age is about? Especially when the people behind this law have a vague knowledge of blogging.

Board member Pat Groody favors the proposal but is concerned some students might set up peers by putting false information about them on a Web site or adding improper content to someone else’s blog.

“It’s not a very secure environment, from what I've heard,” Groody said. “I don’t want to see it become a situation where they’re guilty until proven innocent.”

This is the same type of stuff we saw in the 80's with the PMRC. People who are out of the loop trying make themselves feel better by censoring people.