Letter: Students talking about drugs is not cause for suspension

To the editor:

In the fall of 2010 a student was suspended from Hastings High School for making a Facebook group in regards to a faculty member. Another student was suspended for talking about a senior prank on Facebook. The past two winters students were suspended for texts involving drug references. Last spring, just days before his graduation, a student was suspended for the remainder of his high school career due to throwing a beach ball during lunch.

Hastings High School has been suspending students over the last few years for reasons that aren’t justifiable. According to a CNN report about two years ago, Facebook “gripes” were ruled to be protected in the constitutional rights by a federal magistrate regarding a similar instance.

Not only can students complain about people on Facebook, but they are also allowed to discuss what they choose. The school didn’t catch the students with drugs. Last time I checked, it’s not against the law to talk about drugs.

Then there is just the petty reaction of the beach ball incident and the senior prank. It is neither offensive nor illegal. If anything it is a tradition for graduation.

Hastings High School needs to step back and understand what they are doing. Some students deserved to be suspended and some don’t. They need to figure out the difference.

— Brian Amble

Hastings

Tags: letters to the editor, opinion, hastings, minnesota, spiral, local