FAST FACTS:
danya.bacchus@wreg.com
(Memphis 10/23/2009) Keyshaun Harley never thought the social networking site Facebook would get him in trouble but the 11th grade Ridgeway High School student quickly learned nothing is private on the World Wide Web.
"I didn't think I could get suspended for going on Facebook for saying what I felt," said Harley.
Keyshaun, an honor student was suspended for 180 days, the rest of the school year, for a comment he left on a friend's page. After reading messages about two girls fighting he said he posted "you're not gonna bust a grape".
"They were saying I was trying to insight the fight when really I was trying to tell everybody there is no reason to be talking like this because no body is really going to fight." said Keyshaun.
"The first thought was Keyshaun there must be something else to that story and he said no mom its exactly how I'm telling it and I asked for the paperwork and it was exactly what he said," said his mother Keisha.
Keyshaun and the other students involved were suspended for cyber-bulling after a parent reported the messages to the school's principal. Keyshaun's parents say they believe in discipline but feel the punishment is extremely harsh.
"To me that's almost a violation of your constitutional rights. He wasn't even on school property. Furthermore, he didn't say something that warranted being suspended for 180 days," said his father, Chauncey.
The Harley's plan on appealing the school's decision. Keyshaun, who attended a summer program at the University of Southern California, has plans on going to college and hopes this doesn't affect his future. Plus, he says he's learned a very important lesson.
"I don't think I'm going to get on Facebook ever again."
- Keyshaun Harley Suspended For Rest of the School Year
- Left Message On Facebook saying "You're not going to bust a grape"
- School Officials Say Cyber-Bullying
danya.bacchus@wreg.com
(Memphis 10/23/2009) Keyshaun Harley never thought the social networking site Facebook would get him in trouble but the 11th grade Ridgeway High School student quickly learned nothing is private on the World Wide Web.
"I didn't think I could get suspended for going on Facebook for saying what I felt," said Harley.
Keyshaun, an honor student was suspended for 180 days, the rest of the school year, for a comment he left on a friend's page. After reading messages about two girls fighting he said he posted "you're not gonna bust a grape".
"They were saying I was trying to insight the fight when really I was trying to tell everybody there is no reason to be talking like this because no body is really going to fight." said Keyshaun.
"The first thought was Keyshaun there must be something else to that story and he said no mom its exactly how I'm telling it and I asked for the paperwork and it was exactly what he said," said his mother Keisha.
Keyshaun and the other students involved were suspended for cyber-bulling after a parent reported the messages to the school's principal. Keyshaun's parents say they believe in discipline but feel the punishment is extremely harsh.
"To me that's almost a violation of your constitutional rights. He wasn't even on school property. Furthermore, he didn't say something that warranted being suspended for 180 days," said his father, Chauncey.
The Harley's plan on appealing the school's decision. Keyshaun, who attended a summer program at the University of Southern California, has plans on going to college and hopes this doesn't affect his future. Plus, he says he's learned a very important lesson.
"I don't think I'm going to get on Facebook ever again."
