A Huntsville school district's plan to use students' social media posts to justify disciplinary action or expulsion raises serious First Amendment concerns, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama.
Last week, the Huntsville City Schools system updated its safety guidelines to allow the superintendent to monitor students' public social media accounts if they have a history of violence or gang activity, or if their behavior endangers students and employees.
Huntsville City Schools Superintendent Casey Wardynski says students risk being expelled for violating the district's new code of conduct, which includes posting videos of student fights online.
ACLU of Alabama Executive Director Susan Watson released a statement saying that aside from First Amendment concerns, the policy could also disproportionately impact minority students in Huntsville's schools.