“Vulgar Words” set to decide fate of students online free speech

Milan VariaThe Supreme Court will hear a case about student free speech, stemming from an online outburst on Snapchat, in “Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L”.The parameters of free speech have always been difficult to define. These boundaries should not adhere only to just public instances, but also online. It should serve as no surprise that one day, online free speech would be tested.  This January, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case of a cheerleader who may have pushed the limits too far. At Mahanoy Area High School in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, this student was suspended for posting vulgar messages on Snapchat, depicting her views on the “school,” “softball,” “cheer” and “everything,” with the impetus being her failure to make varsity. The reason for her punishment was to avoid chaotic team environments and disorder. (New York Times)  This one student has brought question and change into all students’ lives across the nation. But these questions are difficult to answer. In the dawn of the technological age, new problems arise. It reoccurs over and over again: how large is the school’s online domain for controlling speech; can they punish students for anything they say or do; where is the…
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