Boston College Law School Faculty Papers
Partly due to the number of student free speech cases involving digital media, courts are struggling more than ever to determine whether public school officials are allowed to restrict student expression that occurs off school grounds during out-of-school hours. Many youths have legally challenged the punishments they received from their schools for making websites that mock teachers and administrators. Although lower courts often rule in favor of the schools, this report concludes that no argument justifies limitations on youths’ First Amendment free speech rights, and that schools should educate their students on how to use digital media responsibly instead of punishing them. Free, 55 pages. http://lsr.nellco.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1217&context=bc/bclsfp.
