Littleton High School students plan a demonstration near the school’s flagpole as class lets out today to protest suspensions of two students for what they wrote in the popular teen website MySpace.com.
“It’s less about being rebellious and more about respecting their First Amendment rights and making Littleton High School a better place to go to school,” sophomore Nathan Franz, 15, said Thursday. “Kids should be able to express their ideas without the school taking action.”
Littleton principal Kathy Dinmore referred comment to Littleton Public Schools officials.
Littleton Public Schools spokeswoman Diane Leiker said she could only confirm that one student was suspended because of a posting on MySpace.com.
She said the school administration had to do something because it affected learning and offended some students.
“It was a writing that was disruptive to the educational process,” Leiker said. “Anytime behavior is disruptive, the school district has to respond to that. That is their right to do that.”
The site includes derogatory statements about some teachers and administrators, students of different races and girls, including that girls at the school are “not hot” or if they are, they wear too much makeup.
It says most students there smoke marijuana.
Leiker said she could not discuss what was written or say more about the suspension because it was a disciplinary matter.
Franz said students can’t use the school’s computers to pull up MySpace.com, a private site that allows teens to post their photographs and comments on their own page.
Even though the website messages that led to the suspension were offensive, “I don’t think it affects the school environment,” said Ben Hobson, 16, a sophomore. “I think it was meant to be funny.”
Hobson said he is not sure whether he will participate in the demonstration. He said the discipline will probably force students to tone down their statements.
Franz said a lot of students want to participate in the protest but are worried that if they do they could be punished.
But Leiker said the students have a right to protest if they display responsible behavior.
“That is something they are allowed to do,” she said.
Staff writer Kirk Mitchell can be reached at 303-820-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com.
