Middle School Student Was Suspended For Liking A Photo On Instagram [VIDEO]
By: Evan Jankens
@kingofthekc
When I was a high school senior in 2001 I had a Nokia cell phone and the coolest thing I could do with the phone is play snake. Social media did not exist, so no one was sending text messages or liking anything at all.
I don't remember anyone even getting in trouble for their cell phones since they were so new for the average Joe.
One middle school student in Ohio is probably wishing he could go back to the good old days.
According to fox19.com:
The parents of Zachary Bowlin posted a picture of the intended suspension notice which read, "The reason for the intended suspension is as follows: Liking a post on social media that indicated potential school violence."
"I was livid, I mean, I'm sitting here thinking 'you just suspended him for ten days for liking a picture of a gun on a social media site," father Marty Bowlin said. "He never shared, he never commented, he never made a threatening post… anything on the site, just liked it."
The picture in question is of an airsoft gun, and according to the students' parents, their child didn't comment on the post but simply liked the picture.
Bowlin was suspended 10 days for a simple click of a photo.
Guns aren't any laughing matter at all and I agree that any threat really should be taken seriously.
The school's Superintendent Russ Fussnecker did issue a statement to Fox 19.
The Board has a "zero tolerance" of violent, disruptive, harassing, intimidating, bullying, or any other inappropriate behavior by its students.
Furthermore, the policy states:
Students are also subject to discipline as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct that occurs off school property when the misbehavior adversely affects the educational process.
As the Superintendent of the Edgewood City Schools, I assure you that any social media threat will be taken serious including those who "like" the post when it potentially endangers the health and safety of students or adversely affects the educational process."
The school has since removed the suspension and Zachary Bowlin can go back to school.
