School district: Facebook comments posed threat - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

School district: Facebook comments posed threat

Posted: Updated:
HAMMOND -

Attorneys for a northwestern Indiana school district say three eighth-grade girls posed a true threat to other students when they were expelled for Facebook comments about killing some of their classmates.

The Griffith Public Schools says in a response to a federal lawsuit filed on behalf of the girls that two of the threatened students were so fearful that they missed school time.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana is representing the expelled girls. An ACLU attorney says it was clear the girls were joking because their remarks were accompanied by smiley faces and other emoticons, along with Internet abbreviations for laughter, such as LOL.

The school district's response says the girls' comments aren't protected by the First Amendment and refutes arguments that the statements were made in jest.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Powered by WorldNow
Links to the FCC website to view WTHR and/or WALV’s on-line public inspection files:
WTHR: https://stations.fcc.gov/station-profile/WTHR   ||   WALV: https://stations.fcc.gov/station-profile/WALV
Individuals with disabilities may contact Jill Pursell at publicfile@wthr.com, or 317.655.5602, for assistance with access to the public inspection files.
Powered by WorldNowAll content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WTHR. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.