Years ago, a principal friend of mine in a nearby high school was the subject of a student prank. The students pasted her head on a photograph of a naked woman and stuffed the picture into a display cabinet that was as far away from the main office as possible. By the time the key could be located and the picture removed many, many of the students in the school were able to view it. The picture created quite a stir. The picture demeaned the principal, distracted students and staff alike, and disrupted school for most of the day. Of course, the perpetrators had to brag about it and they were appropriately disciplined. Every student expected that there would be a consequence as did the staff and parents.

More recently, the news has been replete with stories about General Stanley Allen McChrystal, who was relieved of his command in Afghanistan as a result of comments that were reported in Rolling Stone Magazine. At the time, very few experts were surprised that he lost his job because he publicly criticized his boss. No one questioned the General’s right to say what he said, nor did they question the right of his superior to take appropriate disciplinary action.

Fast forward to the present and a USA Today article by Ken Paulson, president of the Newseum and First Amendment Center. I had to read the opening several times before I could believe what I was reading.

“While we've all benefited from the good teachers and school administrators in our lives, it's hard to shake the memories of those who either didn't teach us very well or treated us badly. Students in the pre-digital era pretty much just had to grin and bear it. We would grumble to our friends or complain to our parents, but we weren't going to get an audience with the school board. Times have changed. The current generation is armed with social media, and it's payback time.”

So, let me get this straight. If you don’t agree with or like someone, you have the right to use the Internet as a global printing press to undermine, demean, and slander that person all in the name of “payback.” It is one thing to stuff a picture into a display cabinet where it can be removed quickly. While the memories linger, there is no permanent record of the incident. It is quite another thing to be quoted in a magazine and universally posted on the Internet where everything is permanent.

I believe in the right of student expression and the need to include student voice as an integral part of school improvement efforts. As a principal, I never exercised my right of prior review over our student newspaper. Instead, I focused my efforts on recruiting, hiring, and retaining the best teachers whose job it was to teach and guide young journalists. It is true that some of our colleagues have exceeded their authority, which could happen in any setting. However, this article has taken the current fad of blaming and attacking teachers and principals to a new level. Teachers and school leaders are not the enemy!

Paulson contends that “sophomoric speech is free speech too.” He argues that students in two Pennsylvania schools were unjustly suspended for creating mock MySpace profiles featuring photos of their principals. While he admits that “both pages were profane and laden with sexual innuendo. Sample epithets from one: "Big whore" and "big steroid freak." Yet, Paulson insists that this behavior is merely a modern version of wearing a black armband (Tinker v. Des Moines) and that students should not be subject to any consequences or disciplinary action.

Paulson explains that, “While there's no question that these attacks on principals were sophomoric and insulting, we tend to forget that students also have rights. Too often, adults seem to believe that you get handed the Bill of Rights along with your high school diploma; that's not the case. It's tough to defend such insults by teens, but check out the comments section of any online publication and you'll find adults posting abrasive, degrading, racist and sexist opinions, all with the full protection of the First Amendment.”

Surprise! I agree with Mr. Paulson. Students do have free speech rights and they do have the right to print what they like. Likewise, as educators and parents, we have the responsibility to use these teachable moments to make education as meaningful and relevant as possible by connecting classroom learning to real-world situations. Students must learn that every action has an equal and opposite reaction, that every cause has an effect, and that every right is accompanied by a responsibility.

Mr. Paulson and I were both educated in the 20^th century and, those of us, myself included, educated in that bygone age have a tendency to believe that all the experiences gained and lessons learned are relevant to today’s schools. Some even believe that their experience working in schools whose goal was to sort students for success has relevance to current schools whose goal is raising all, not some, students to high levels of achievement.

In the good old days scurrilous notes and harmless pranks would reach a limited audience the memories of which faded quickly. There was no permanent record that could be accessed by anyone with a computer and an Internet connection. Today, the success of every student is critically important and everything written and posted on the Internet is permanent. Every computer is a publishing house and every student has the potential to instantly be a best-selling author. It is high time that we all got our heads out of the 20th century where we were educated and put our heads in the 21st century where our children live. Wake up people! It’s a different world out there!

Finally, I have a suggestion for Mr. Paulson. As is your right, create a fake web page or MySpace page under the name of your Chairman, CEO, or any of your Board members. Be sure to include profane, obscene, and slanderous statements about them. For an added touch, add some racist or sexually explicit language. Wait a couple of weeks and contact me to let me know how that worked out for you.

Next: Part 2 of “It’s Payback Time.”