College vs Student over Facebook post

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - In November 2008, a sexual comment was posted on Tony Harris' Facebook.com page, which Calvin College believes was about a female student. Now, the college is taking action against Harris, who is also a Calvin student.

But Harris said he didn't post the comment. Someone else had his password and posted it. But Calvin College believes he's the author, and they're holding him responsible.

"I was wrong for letting another person have my Facebook password," he told 24 Hour News 8.

But the college meted out his discipline: six months probation, no contact with that student, he has to leave the dorm where he and she both lived and move to a different dorm, and he has to post a retraction on Facebook.

Calvin College Vice President of Student Life Shirley Hoogstra would not comment about this case in particular, but talked about student conduct and the use of technology.

"We've actively educated our students the past five years about Facebook and Internet postings," she said. "We want their virtual life to be what their real life is. We want their values and integrity to be included in all aspects."

"I just want all this to stop," Harris said. "I just want it all to stop." A sophomore, he plans to return and eventually graduate.

Earlier this month, 24 Hour News 8 broke the news of 23-year-old Morgan Wyhowski, a brand new teacher in Bangor Public Schools District. She was put on administrative leave, and then resigned after making threatening and accusatory comments about one of her students on Facebook.

Two years ago, we reported about "a virtual Grand Rapids Gang-War of Words" on Bebo.com -- teenagers and young adults making threatening comments about rival gang members.

And three years ago, 20 East Grand Rapids teenagers were suspended from after-school activities for posting photos of themselves drinking alcohol at their parties on Myspace.com and Xanga.com.

More and more children and adults are being disciplined for their postings. Some are losing jobs or not being hired in the first place because of what is on their social network Web pages.

According to various national studies, more than 70 percent of children online have profiles on social networking sites.

According to Pew Internet & American Life Project, 35 percent of American adults who use the Internet have a profile on a social network. In the past three years, adult use has quadrupled.