School’s Out of Bounds: Digital Surveillance and Student Privacy Under Fire
Even when students are home, school-issued devices can transform their bedrooms into “on campus” no-go zones. In Merrill v. Marana Unified School District, a high schooler’s joke made at home was flagged by surveillance software, leading to suspension. It’s a reminder that sometimes, even bad jokes deserve a little privacy.
Hot Take:
In a world where your school-issued laptop is your new hall monitor, it’s only a matter of time before your lunch lady starts grading your emails. Maybe schools should focus on teaching math instead of mathcing you with Big Brother!
Key Points:
- The EFF filed an amicus brief urging the Arizona District Court to protect students’ digital privacy, arguing that using school-issued tech doesn’t mean students are “on campus.”
- A Marana High School student was suspended for a joke email draft written at home, caught by Gaggle surveillance, despite never sending it.
- Supreme Court precedents like Tinker v. Des Moines and Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. highlight the limited reach of schools over off-campus student speech.
- EFF argues that constant digital surveillance chills student speech and disproportionately affects students from lower-income backgrounds.
- There’s a call for rejecting the “on campus” rule for digital tools, to protect student privacy and freedom of expression.
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