Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Zorro

(15,716 posts)
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 07:47 PM Aug 2020

Georgia teens shared photos of maskless students in crowded hallways. Now they're suspended.

At least two North Paulding High School students have been suspended after sharing images of a school hallway jammed with their mostly maskless peers, and the principal has warned other students against doing the same.

North Paulding High School in Dallas, Ga., about an hour’s drive from Atlanta, was thrust into the national spotlight this week when pictures and videos surfaced of its crowded interior on the first and second days of its first week back in session. The images, which showed a sea of teens clustered together with no face coverings, raised concerns over how the district is handling reopening schools during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Facing a fierce online backlash, Paulding County Schools Superintendent Brian Otott told parents and guardians in a letter that the images “didn’t look good.” But he argued that they lacked context about the 2,000-plus student school, where masks are a “personal choice.”

Hannah Watters, 15, wore a mask as she captured the inside of her school. On Wednesday, she ended up with a five-day suspension for violating the district’s student code of conduct, BuzzFeed News reported. The rules bar students from using social media during the day or using recording devices without the permission of an administrator.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/08/06/georgia-teens-shared-photos-maskless-students-crowded-hallways-now-theyre-suspended/

22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Georgia teens shared photos of maskless students in crowded hallways. Now they're suspended. (Original Post) Zorro Aug 2020 OP
Calling Georgia ACLU... hlthe2b Aug 2020 #1
+1 nt EarthFirst Aug 2020 #11
Fascism High... Karadeniz Aug 2020 #2
In an all-to-frequent case of putting compliance over critical thinking. My God, "personal choice"? Alex4Martinez Aug 2020 #3
So the lesson we all learned here... RANDYWILDMAN Aug 2020 #4
Sure seems so Delphinus Aug 2020 #16
Suspended for telling the truth DFW Aug 2020 #5
Masks are a personal choice at that school. PoindexterOglethorpe Aug 2020 #6
Sounds like a tee ball lawsuit to me, IMO. nt Blue_true Aug 2020 #7
I hope ALL the students flood the internet with similar images. KY_EnviroGuy Aug 2020 #8
I don't know about everyone else, LuvNewcastle Aug 2020 #9
Much safer suspended at home than being in that crowd. tanyev Aug 2020 #10
+1 crickets Aug 2020 #12
Sadly, many will be on a 14 day suspension soon (quarantine) Nictuku Aug 2020 #13
Greatest Page for this important post! CaliforniaPeggy Aug 2020 #14
Wait a couple of weeks until students, teachers and school staff Golden Raisin Aug 2020 #15
My spud living with us says it may be because Baked Potato Aug 2020 #17
The pictures I've seen didn't show any students' faces. Mariana Aug 2020 #19
I hear what you are saying, and I agree that particular school's actions Baked Potato Aug 2020 #22
So there's no "personal choice" about using social media or recording equipment. Crunchy Frog Aug 2020 #18
Well at least they get to be home for awhile marlakay Aug 2020 #20
just watched the girl who took the photos interviewed on CNN Chili Aug 2020 #21

Alex4Martinez

(2,191 posts)
3. In an all-to-frequent case of putting compliance over critical thinking. My God, "personal choice"?
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 07:49 PM
Aug 2020

Poor kids.

RANDYWILDMAN

(2,661 posts)
4. So the lesson we all learned here...
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 07:54 PM
Aug 2020

The kids did the right thing.

The administrators of this school REALLY DON'T care about the students.

DFW

(54,256 posts)
5. Suspended for telling the truth
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 07:54 PM
Aug 2020

Now THERE‘S a great message to be instilling in the youth of America

PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,809 posts)
6. Masks are a personal choice at that school.
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 07:55 PM
Aug 2020

But sharing real information about what's going on isn't.

What am I missing here?

KY_EnviroGuy

(14,488 posts)
8. I hope ALL the students flood the internet with similar images.
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 07:59 PM
Aug 2020

Let them suspend the whole damn school for showing the deadly truth........

LuvNewcastle

(16,834 posts)
9. I don't know about everyone else,
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 08:02 PM
Aug 2020

but we didn't have much personal choice when I was in school. The administrators and teachers would bother the shit out of us over what we wore. I guarantee you that if we'd had a killer virus running rampant, they would certainly have made us all wear masks.

Golden Raisin

(4,604 posts)
15. Wait a couple of weeks until students, teachers and school staff
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 08:40 PM
Aug 2020

start falling ill and bring it home to parents/grandparents and neighbors.

Baked Potato

(7,733 posts)
17. My spud living with us says it may be because
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 08:52 PM
Aug 2020

an estranged parent may see a child they are searching for. Maybe a student hiding from abusive household, etc.

Mariana

(14,854 posts)
19. The pictures I've seen didn't show any students' faces.
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 01:14 AM
Aug 2020

Just showed a bunch of bodies jammed together in hallways and classrooms, with no possible way to maintain distance. At least one of the photographers apparently put in some effort to protect the students' privacy.

It's much more likely that the policy against using cameras is to make sure the students can't record anything that might be embarrassing to the school administration - for example, these pictures.

Baked Potato

(7,733 posts)
22. I hear what you are saying, and I agree that particular school's actions
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 11:04 AM
Aug 2020

are not in the interest of students. But, going forward, I hope people consider there are other elements to the action of photographing students. The pictures I saw clearly showed faces.

Crunchy Frog

(26,574 posts)
18. So there's no "personal choice" about using social media or recording equipment.
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 10:40 PM
Aug 2020

Only about putting the lives of your teachers, fellow students, your and their family members at risk.

Okay Georgia.

marlakay

(11,418 posts)
20. Well at least they get to be home for awhile
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 02:20 AM
Aug 2020

Obviously just like Trump no one is allowed to say what's really happening.

Chili

(1,725 posts)
21. just watched the girl who took the photos interviewed on CNN
Fri Aug 7, 2020, 03:45 AM
Aug 2020

She was asked why she did it. She said (bad paraphrasing), "I was worried about everybody in the community being safe."

When asked if she regretted doing it, since she's suspended? "I like to think that I was doing good and necessary trouble."

Good and necessary trouble.

Fantastic kid!

Oooh, found a link:

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Georgia teens shared phot...