March 2010 Archives » Askthejudge
Teacher’s confiscation of student’s cell phone upheld
In the Fall of 2008, Anthony Koch attended Sylvan Hills High School in Arkansas. The school had a policy prohibiting cell phones in classrooms. Anthony violated the rule and his teacher, Nancy Adams, took his phone and turned it over to the principal. After two …
Is suspension a denial of your right to an education?
After two decades of zero tolerance policies in public education, some school districts are taking a second look at its effectiveness. There are those who claim it makes little sense to exclude students for minor infractions when the primary obligation of the school system is …
Jury finds school district didn’t do enough to stop bullying
The bullying began when Dane Patterson was in middle school. It started with name-calling and being shoved into lockers. The Hudson Area School District in Michigan had a written anti-bullying policy. Dane’s parents complained but were told that “It’s middle school – kids will be …
Middle school teacher bullies student
A sixth-grade teacher in North Carolina wrote “loser” in red ink on a student’s paper in November, 2009. The child’s mother complained but little was done to Rex Roland. The teacher at Enka Middle School explained that he likes to joke with students and that’s …
Online “Guestbook” threats of violence not protected speech
In 2005, D. C. was a student at a private high school in Los Angeles. The 15 year old junior was actively pursuing a career as a singer and an actor. He maintained a website to promote his entertainment ambitions. The site allowed any member …
Daniel Radcliffe films PSA about gay-youth suicide prevention
Daniel Radcliffe (a.k.a Harry Potter) recently filmed a public service announcement for The Trevor Project which is due out this spring. The Trevor Project is the leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and questioning [LGBTQ] youth. With both …