Facebook Law Struck Down for Overly Restricting Student-Teacher Communication

    September 7, 2011

    Calling a Missouri law that bans students and teachers from communicating online “staggering” in its overbreadth, a state court judge on Friday issued a preliminary injunction preventing it from taking effect until a hearing on a permanent injunction is held early next year, the ABA reports.

    Missouri’s “Facebook law” discussed previously on this blog, too heavily measure restricted communications on Facebook and Twitter, according to Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem.  Following an outcry of complaints from a number of teachers and education organizations that the law overly interfered with routine classroom-related activities, the Court enjoined the law due to its interference with constitutional free speech rights.

    “This gives everyone time to debate and discuss the issue to come to a proper resolution rather than rushing to piece together language that doesn’t resolve the concerns of educators or allow time for teacher input,” said the [Missouri State Teachers Organization’s] attorney, Gail McCray.

    The Missouri State Teachers Organization sued over the ban, winning the injunction.


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