Facebook photos causes walk-out
January 14, 2008 by Kristen Miller
Filed under General
Several Eden Prairie students walked out Thursday after they were reprimanded for pictures shown on Facebook of them drinking. The students thought it was unfair because there was no proof alcohol was in the red cups pictured. This is true, there is no proof, but I recall seeing bottles of liquor on the coffee table and others holding them. These students wonder who anonymously submitted these Facebook photos to the school. That’s not the point. The point is, if you are doing something illegal and it gets out for the public to see, you deserve the punishment set. Don’t whine about getting caught. I do agree there is not proof of what was in those cups, but as far as I’m concerned, if you are at a party with alcohol, you are just as guilty (when it comes to sports and activities). Now, by walking out, they are facing even more penalties. What do you think the school should do? Are they being unfair, or rightfully so?
Every High School athlete is told the same thing- No alcohol, of course this covers consuming it but I know most coaches explain it pretty clear that it includes holding a glass for a friend or being at a party with it. Guilt by association. The only clear choice is to stay clear of it or pay the consequences.
We can all take heart in knowing there is not a lot of overwhelming support for those in the pictures or the ones that felt it necessary to walk out of school in protest. It’s a lesson kids sometimes have to learn the hard way. Those that figure it out right away go places in life. Those that don’t spend most of their lives making excuses for why their lives didn’t get them where they wanted. I for one am pleased to see the community shake their heads sadly at those willing to fight the punishment set forth because of their actions.
But did you see any of the photos? Some of the kids were clearly holding beer cans, but other students were not! Some were holding unlabeled cups. Those students were presumed guilty, rather than presumed innocent.
One important thing to note: the school only looked into the pictures after someone tipped them off. That “someone” could have been someone with a grudge against the students who were pictured. I had pictures of me, as a teen, holding up beer bottles that were picked up along a roadside. They were funny pictures, since everyone knew I did not drink. While not saying that is what happened here, we live in a society where anyone can take a snapshot and post it online, without any explanation of the context in which the photo was taken. I have a feeling that some of these incidents will end up in the courts.
I think it also raises important questions about your right to control whether or not your photgraph appears online. What if you were at a party where someone snuck in a drink, had a photo taken to record the act, and you happened to be passing by that person when the photo was taken? Guilt by association? Unfortunately, in such situations, irreparable damage can be done before the truth comes out, and the truth will likely never reach as many as did the scandalous photo.