Court: Facebook Posts Were Grounds For Discipline
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Minnesota Court of Appeals has upheld the University of Minnesota's right to discipline a student in a mortuary sciences class who made threats on her Facebook page.
In 2009, 29-year-old Amanda Beth Tatro posted comments on her Facebook page saying she wanted to stab a "certain someone in the throat" with an embalming instrument.
She told police she was just venting because she was upset over breaking up with her boyfriend. The University briefly banned her from campus and flunked her out of the course.
Tatro claimed the university violated her free speech rights, but Minnesota Public Radio reports the appeals court said schools can limit student speech if officials can reasonably conclude it would disrupt the school.
Jordan Kushner, Tatro's attorney, says he thinks the ruling is flawed. He says Tatro has now graduated from the university.
