Student Faces Criminal Charges For Teacher Jokes on Myspace

[burns]

* So much for the freedom of speech!! I say FUCK all this polically correct bullshit. Say what the hell you want too. If others got a problem with it, FUCK 'EM!!!!! *

Student Faces Criminal Charges For Teacher Jokes

POSTED: 10:59 am EDT May 16, 2006
UPDATED: 11:37 am EDT May 16, 2006

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. -- A Henry County high school student is facing criminal charges after posting comments about his teacher on the Web site, MySpace.com, reported WSB-TV in Atlanta.

The teacher has filed defamation of character charges against the student, Alex Davis, 15.

Eagle’s Landing High School science teacher Robert Muzzillo pursued the charges against Davis after noticing a profile with his name attached on MySpace.com.

The profile talked about Muzzillo liking Michael Jackson and having a "gay old time," like the Fred Flintstone song.

Davis said he only wrote that Muzzillo lost an eye wrestling with alligators and midgets. The teen said it was just a prank and meant as a joke.

When the school found out that Davis was involved, he received three days in-school suspension. Then he learned the teacher had filed charges against him.

"I have finals coming up and I have to study and instead I have to go to court," Davis said.

Davis' father said the charges are a waste of the court's time.

"This has all gotten kinda bizarre," Andy Davis said.

The Davis' have hired attorney Lee Sexton to handle the case.

"It's just silly stuff about a teacher they were just joking about. It's gotten way out of hand," Sexton said.

Davis said he apologized and said he was only having fun and never threatened anyone.

"You can say whatever you want but it can get you in trouble," he said.

Davis is scheduled to head to court next Tuesday. His attorney said the criminal defamation of character charge is unconstitutional.

[SUM650]

The teacher should be sued for being and idiot. So I guess now we will have teachers sueing every student for calling them a name or saying something bad about them. The court should make an example of this teacher and strip him of his teaching license, then maybe he wouldn't be called anymore bad names by students. We need to have a law that when you bring frivolous law suits to court like this and loose. You should be required to pay the entire court staff for every minute of the courts time that you wasted.

[burns]

AMEN

[Mike]

I don't know fellas... calling someone a name is one thing, but posting it on the web where the entire world can see it, the students from that school in particular, is another. I think the teacher overreacted, but technically he's within his rights.

Freedom of speech means that you can say anything you want, but it doesn't mean you can say anything you want without consequence. Obvious examples include telling a flight attendant on a plane that you're a terrorist and have a bomb, going to a police department and calling someone a rapist, etc. Yes, you can say those things, but the consequences won't be light. To bring it down to earth, and make it similar to the above case, let's say someone you vaguely know (the 'student' in this example) shows up to the next bike night (with, say, 300 people present, far fewer than have probably viewed the myspace page), and starts calling any of us names, over the loudspeaker. How long would this go on before we'd get upset and make an effort to curb their "freedom of speech"?

Like any freedom, the freedom of speech isn't free.

Just a thought...

[SUM650]

I understand your point about saying inappropriate things, like yelling bomb, or fire, etc. This is no where near as drastic. This is a 15 year old kid for gods sake. My 5 year old niece called me a poo poo head last week, should I sue now? If this teacher skin is so thin that he affected by a 15 year old kid calling him names, I definitely don't want him teaching my child. I should create a myspace link calling this wimpy teacher a poo poo head.

[Red_R6]

I should create a myspace link calling this wimpy teacher a poo poo head.


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


But on a serious note, as Mike stated we are entitled to Freedom of Speech but consequences can ensue!

I do not agree with the teacher's action and think it is ridiculous that he would even go that far!!!!

[Mike]

I understand your point about saying inappropriate things, like yelling bomb, or fire, etc. This is no where near as drastic. This is a 15 year old kid for gods sake. My 5 year old niece called me a poo poo head last week, should I sue now? If this teacher skin is so thin that he affected by a 15 year old kid calling him names, I definitely don't want him teaching my child. I should create a myspace link calling this wimpy teacher a poo poo head.

I'm just saying that there is a huge difference in scope between someone calling the teacher a "poo poo head" to his face and that same person posting that opinion all over every bulletin board and utility pole in the town the teacher works and lives in. Very local versus literally global.

I think the student screwed up by doing that, and that the teacher screwed up worse by taking the matter to court when he could've/should've talked to the kid and/or his parents and resolved it right then and there.

[burns]

I do see what you are saying Mike. Now if we did have 300 in front of us on me. Being the I guess you can say dumb ass or crazy motherfucker I can be. I might grab a beer. Drink it, throw the bottle in the air, pull my blade, charge and let whatever happen happen.
Even though I do go off a lot on here. It does take a lot to get me to want to get in a rumble.
But again, I see what you are say sir.

[Red_R6]

[quote="burns"] It does take a lot to get me to want to get in a rumble.
quote]

RUMBLE....love it! Makes me think of The Outsiders!!

Good movie, GREAT book!


But in reference to Freedom of Speech it is a catch 22. You can voice your opinion, thoughts, and whatever else but be prepared to be sue, rumble (hehehe), ect.

[burns]

Maybe I put it the wrong way. I don't care what people think or say about me. Everyone has that right. If anyone ever wanted to fight me they would just have to say so. If we were faced with 300 in front of us or me and I thought my friend or family, the ones I care about lives were at risk. I believe I would go mad

[ccs273]

in the end it comes down to.......freedom of speech isn't really free, & the teacher is a thin skinned pussy

[dumwinnie]

i'll put my money on the teacher being 5'2" 130lbs. and a little light in the loafers. the kid said something that hit close to home. usually the truth hurts, especially if it's pointed out by a subordinate. probably the wrong time, place (and medium, you never want evidence against you) but the teacher is weak. he should be killed, we need to strengthen our gene pool. he is only weakening it.

well..hmmi can see both mikes side and barry's maybe this should go to court so we can see the outcome. besides on this tiny board we have two different opinions let the judge settle it threw the laws. it will be interesting to see how it goes. IF i were the judge i think {from what i have read} the kid is wrong but i wouldnt give him the chair..maybe uhh trash pickup... eye for an eye... humiliate the kid.
I dont want yall to think i sapport the abuse of our laws here but teachers take alot of shit... i hate to see shit like this.. I WOULD join the military and go to war but i WOULDNT teach.... them little bastards are assholes.

[teddyb]

I don't think there is a single person out there who hasn't made fun of or called a teacher something hateful. It's what students do. I definitely think the teacher is over reacting. I agree with dumwinnie, 5'2' 130, and a napolean complex to boot........ And Randy last time I checked, more people die in the military and are in danger of dying everyday then there are teachers who have died EVER or are in danger everyday while in school teaching

[DK]

google kenny rodriguez .....


"My name is Kenny rodriguez and I love men. Some say being gay is a crime against nature. I just say I am trying to keep the world from being over populated" ......

[Kat_Mac]

I believe its important to keep the situation in perspective. This is a 15 year old KID calling an ADULT a few names.

Yes, there are consequences to spoken and written word.
Yes, the kid was inappropriate for making a slander page against his teacher.
Yes, the kid deserved the in-school suspension.
Yes, the teacher is hyper sensitive.

Still, there are more questions here.
Did the teacher single this student out in school and bully him in class?
Was there a history of verbal abuse from the student to this teacher or other teachers?
Does the student have a history of disruptive behavior and ill-intentions?
Did this student act alone?

In my high school, we had a senior lawn. If an underclassmen stepped foot on this lawn, it was tradition to grab the kid, yank off his pants, stuff him into a trashcan, and hang his pants on our senior flag pole. This had been going on as long as any of the administrators could remember.

My friend, Phil did this to an underclassmen. Collectively, we seniors had probably done it 10 times that year already to other underclassmen. The kid freaked. His parents freaked. Phil was suspended for a week. He had to write a public apology that was published in the Post and Courier. Phil pulled a prank and was adequately reprimanded for it. Do I believe that Phil should have been sued for his behavior? Absolutely not. Do I believe this kid should be sued for his myspace page? No.

The suit would only be accurate if it said things to damage the teacher's credibility to teach and/or if there were illegal allegations i.e. drug dealer, child molester, etc.

Where Mike is justified in saying there are consequences to what is said, I agree with Barry in saying the consequence (being the suit) is not justifiable. Let the punishment fit the crime. In this case, it's overkill. The student should turn the myspace page into a public apology.

[dumwinnie]

couldn't have said it better (cause i couldn't have put that many words together)