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August 13, 2012 By News Staff
A high school in the San Francisco Bay Area has banned social networking sites from student government campaigns, reported the Contra Costa Times. Posters and fliers are accepted, but Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are not allowed. Heritage High, the only high school in the region to adopt this policy, felt that the rule was necessary to minimize mudslinging.
"Every time students have used Facebook for campaigning, someone has said something mean about somebody else," said Activities Director Jessica Banchieri.
The school has no way of enforcing the policy and relies on the honor system and self-policing by the students. Although the no-social media rule initially disappointed Dylan Hussein, he still won the race for class president. "I'm not going to lie -- I use Instagram and Facebook a lot," said the 14-year-old, who wasn't initially planning on campaigning the old-fashioned way. "It was kind of hard for me to go out and talk to the students I didn't know because I'm used to texting someone, posting a picture."
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If the Presidential candidates can use social media why can't a student Presidential candidate use the same tools when running for office? After all, it is the way of the world for modern civics. Maybe lesson should've been about how to run a positive and civil Fracebook campaign instead of banning the technology outright. Also isn't Director Jessica Banchieri just a little silly? Someone always has something mean to say about someone. The life lesson lost here is how to rise about negative comments and run positive Facebook campaign.
This story is really funny -- thanks for the laugh! Banning the use of social networking because "[e]very time students have used Facebook for campaigning, someone has said something mean about somebody else" -- seriously? that's the reason for the ban??? It's *high school* for god's sake! When are the students *NOT* saying something mean about someone else?!?!? Ha! ha! ha! "The school has no way of enforcing the policy and relies onthe honor system and self-policing by students" -- like that ever works -- ha! ha! ha! Congratulations to young Mr. Hussein on the win, and kudos for knowing what rules are worth breaking, being true to himself, and being honest about his methods. Good luck to you in the future. ;)