[karajorma]

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20080128/195457100.shtml

Rich Kulawiec writes in to let us know about a ridiculous situation in Florida, that has some similarities to the ridiculous Julie Amero situation. Basically, a bunch of school officials and local newspaper folks are freaking out about the potential for students to access porn and are blaming the wrong people while displaying stunning levels of ignorance.

The basics of the situation are pretty straightforward. A cop who works at a middle school in Florida has a MySpace account, that he set up with the approval of the police department and the school, hoping it would allow him to connect with the kids he's supposed to be protecting. One of his many, many friends on MySpace happened to link to a porn site on their own profile. So, because one friend out of a huge list of friends happens to link to a porn page, the cop is now under investigation with the local paper dramatizing the situation by noting that students could (gasp!) get to porn "in just three clicks." Apparently, they're investigating whether the officer is criminally liable for exposing children to inappropriate content -- yes, because someone on his friend's list linked to porn. Under that definition, an awful lot of people are probably guilty.

Ah, but the story gets better (or worse, actually). You see, after some investigation, people noticed that the school's own website actually linked directly to a porn site itself -- which would seem a lot worse than what the police officer did. In this case, the school had a list of "resources" and one of the links was on a domain that had expired and was taken over by a porn site. Now, using the logic that the school used in having the police officer investigated, shouldn't the school officials also be investigated? Apparently not. Instead, they're angry about the changing domain and are looking at "legal recourse."

So, to summarize: If you happen to work at a school and have a MySpace profile where one friend of many links to a porn site via his own MySpace page: potentially illegal exposure of porn to children. If you work at a school and set up a website that directly links to porn: you're a victim who should be suing the website in question. Very logical.

Um. What? 

[Admiral_Stones]

Ouch. Americans can be more then extremly stupid some times. Didn't think thats possible.

[Koth]

[Polpolion]

Please don't do that ever again.

[redsniper]

Actually posting a giant WTF smiley is a noble profession, with a long and glorious tradition.

[Polpolion]

not to mention how annoying it is.

[Hellstryker]

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20080128/195457100.shtml

Rich Kulawiec writes in to let us know about a ridiculous situation in Florida, that has some similarities to the ridiculous Julie Amero situation. Basically, a bunch of school officials and local newspaper folks are freaking out about the potential for students to access porn and are blaming the wrong people while displaying stunning levels of ignorance.

The basics of the situation are pretty straightforward. A cop who works at a middle school in Florida has a MySpace account, that he set up with the approval of the police department and the school, hoping it would allow him to connect with the kids he's supposed to be protecting. One of his many, many friends on MySpace happened to link to a porn site on their own profile. So, because one friend out of a huge list of friends happens to link to a porn page, the cop is now under investigation with the local paper dramatizing the situation by noting that students could (gasp!) get to porn "in just three clicks." Apparently, they're investigating whether the officer is criminally liable for exposing children to inappropriate content -- yes, because someone on his friend's list linked to porn. Under that definition, an awful lot of people are probably guilty.

Ah, but the story gets better (or worse, actually). You see, after some investigation, people noticed that the school's own website actually linked directly to a porn site itself -- which would seem a lot worse than what the police officer did. In this case, the school had a list of "resources" and one of the links was on a domain that had expired and was taken over by a porn site. Now, using the logic that the school used in having the police officer investigated, shouldn't the school officials also be investigated? Apparently not. Instead, they're angry about the changing domain and are looking at "legal recourse."

So, to summarize: If you happen to work at a school and have a MySpace profile where one friend of many links to a porn site via his own MySpace page: potentially illegal exposure of porn to children. If you work at a school and set up a website that directly links to porn: you're a victim who should be suing the website in question. Very logical.

Um. What? 

OMG, 14 YEAR OLDS ARE WATCHING PORN!!! ITS THE END OF THE WORLD!!! And your telling me this cop didnt wack it when he was 14? 

[IceFire]

Its stupid...people are stupid...they just like to reinforce that notion every day.

[Kosh]

Its stupid...people are stupid...they just like to reinforce that notion every day.

American school administrators are a special breed of control freak/idiot hybrids.

[colecampbell666]

They've put sensors around my school to stop people from going to the corner store. (I live in a rural area)

[haloboy100]

Giant WTF smiley

Actually, thats exactly how i feel about this sort of thing. In America, all the right actions and intentions are twisted around and made stupid by people. Thats why so many people hate America (aside from politics). Of course, i know this doesn't apply in every case, so don't fight me about it. But otherwise, i agree with koth:

"WHAT THE F***?!"

[Hellstryker]

They've put sensors around my school to stop people from going to the corner store. (I live in a rural area)

Again i see need for another giant  smiley

[colecampbell666]

They're all in on some "healthy food policy". Whole grain pizza, cookies, false advertizing, whole wheat donuts...

They have a one track mind.

They know that their food is s*** so they have to stop people from getting real (and really good) pizza etc, so they don't let them go there.

[Aardwolf]

Not quite that simple. In some schools, you're just not allowed to leave the school campus during school hours without a note explaining why.

[blackhole]

Not quite that simple. In some schools, you're just not allowed to leave the school campus during school hours without a note explaining why.

Yes, like, for example, my entire school district

[Aardwolf]

I don't know how widespread it is, I just know it's in my school/school-district.

[colecampbell666]

We have to do that 'till grade 10. (next year! )

[blackhole]

 

We're not even allowed off-campus without explicit parent permission, period, until we're in 10^th!

[Flipside]

The times, they are a-changing...

Our teachers couldn't wait to kick us out of the school at lunchtime, half of them headed to the pub for a pint and cigarette. In the sixth form, we even used to go with them, though only for the pint, not the cigarette

[Wobble73]

though only for the pint, not the cigarette

I had a few of those cigarettes at sixth form! Good stuff!