Stupid kid tricks on Facebook and My Space are costly
Stupid kid tricks. Every one has a few they got in trouble for when in junior . high and high school but now the internet allows teens to take it to a whole new level. Creating fake My Space and Facebook pages for teachers and principals that are hilarious to the pranksters but embarrassing, cruel and painful for the adults spoofed, are guaranteed to cause trouble.
In 1969 my 7th grade class didn’t like my teacher very much. The students “creatively” made up a nickname and a song (complete with harmony). The name they scrawled in bright red lipstick (her favorite) on the class room windows and the song they sang on the playground during recess.
The teacher was reduced to tears and my class was ordered to leave school two hours early on the last day of school and never to return. I haven’t returned to that school in 39 years. In part out of embarrassment for the cruelty perpetrated by my class on my teacher.
These days, student cruelty isn’t limited to the school yard. Facebook was recently sued by Dean Tom Puntarelli of catholic prep school, Roncalli high, for the names of the student responsible for posting a fake Facebook page with his image and name. The students sent highly inappropriate messages to other students using the fake webpage.
Marion Superior Court Judge Robyn Moberly ruled for Puntarelli in the case ordering Facebook to reveal the identities of the perpetrators of the incident. Not only the Dean but the Archdiocese of Indianapolis (that runs the school) want those names to hold the pranksters responsible for their actions.
The original law suit alleged that the students had stolen the Dean’s identity, and harassed him through their actions on the cite. There is also the issue of defamation of the character of the Dean by the students actions and the posting.
Defamation is an actionable offense all on its own and can lead to monetary damages. Since it is presumed that the kids are underage, their parents could very likely be held responsible for any damage awards that might be sought through further court action either criminally or civilly. Defamation occurs when a false claim is made about someone that could harm their reputation. Although the fake Facebook page has since been taken down, it does not negate the crime.
This is not the first time a school official has been subjected to the malicious creativity of students. In 2005 the principal of Hickory High School in Pennsylvania was the object of a similar prank on My Space. The students involved created four My Space pages accusing Principal Eric Trosch of using steroids, alcohol and drugs as well as having sex with students. They also named “Transgender, Appreciators of Alcoholic Beverages” to be one of his interests.
What made this case all the more heinous was that Trosch’s own daughter was a student at the school and was upset by the face My Space pages about her father. Trosch is currently suing the student’s involved.
Another such case occurred in Texas, where Assistant Principal Anna Draker, was accused of being a lesbian in the fake My Space page posted about her which also included lewd graphics and statements. The My Space page was created by disgruntled students that had been disciplined several times by the assistant principal. Other students had left malicious comments by the time the My Space page was seen by a teacher at the school and brought to the administration’s awareness. Ms. Draker sued the students involved and their parents.
Under The Family Code section of the Texas statutes, parents or legal guardians are responsible for property damage caused by “willful and malicious conduct” of their children who are 10 to 18. Other states have similar provisions holding parents responsible for the criminal actions of their underage children. This raises the cost and liability of the stupid kid tricks tremendously.
Is this new behavior for middle and high school kids? Certainly not. Has it risen to a new level? Absolutely. By having such wide reaching forums like My Space and Facebook to use for their pranks, the audience for their mischief goes beyond the school and can cause considerable damage to the reputation of the person chosen for vilification within a much wider community. Thus the increased responsibility and consequences of the students actions.
Stupid kid tricks may seem funny at the time, by youth who have more creative energy than sense, but the ramifications are far reaching and expensive for both the victim of their pranks and the parents and youth involved.
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January 24th, 2010
Came across this on StumbleUpon