Previous |
Next |
August 02, 2007, 01:02 PM ET
A Student Suspended for His Web Site Sues U. of Delaware
A student has filed suit against the University of Delaware, arguing that campus officials had no right to suspend him for creating a Web site they deemed “racist, sexist, anti-Semitic, and homophobic.”
Maciej Murakowski first built the controversial site in 2005, and he used the page — which resided on Delaware’s servers — to post a series of graphically violent movie reviews and other ruminations. But the site didn’t draw the attention of university administrators until this January, when Mr. Murakowski wrote about an imaginary sexual position he called “The Sociopath.”
The university suspended the student in April — shortly after the Virginia Tech shootings, when many institutions were taking seriously any Facebook posts or student Web sites that seemed threatening. Mr. Murakowski was charged with violating Delaware’s policies on disruptive conduct and computer use, and was told that he was not allowed in class or near his residence hall until he received a psychiatric evaluation.
A psychiatrist concluded that Mr. Murakowski was not a threat to himself or to others, but Delaware officials decided to ban the student from campus until this fall. At that point, Mr. Murakowski will be able to apply for readmission to the university, but he will not be permitted to enter any residence halls, according to the Associated Press.
Now the student says the institution is denying his rights to free speech and due process. His lawsuit asks that he be reinstated to the university, given credit for the classes he was unable to complete, and awarded punitive damages. —Brock Read
Categories: Legal-Troubles, Leadership
Add Your Comment
Commenting is closed.