GSE dean debates online speech
Should schools punish students for online speech? That question, posed by Harvard Graduate School of Education (GSE) Dean James Ryan as part of his J-Term seminar, opened the doors to many more. Calling the issue “remarkably difficult” in terms of law and policy, Ryan pushed students to think deeply about issues regarding online speech facing courts and school officials today. “As you know, social media is pervasive; students communicate all the time online,” Ryan said. “Sometimes students say incredibly nasty things — beyond nasty — they harass, they torture other students through online postings, leading to a new term in our vocabulary: not just bullying, but cyberbullying.” The dilemma for many school officials is whether to intervene. Whether they do or don’t, schools may face liability — and existing laws may offer them little guidance. “The law is really unclear. What you won’t get out of this session is a clear-lined, bright rule about...