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April 27, 2007
'Drunken Pirate' Learns Costly Lesson From Her MySpace Posting
What shall you do with a drunken sailor? Well, if you’re Millersville University of Pennsylvania, you deny her a degree, and you get sued for doing so.
Stacy Snyder, an aspiring teacher who is now 27 years old, was set to graduate last year from Millersville’s School of Education. But just days before commencement, campus officials discovered Ms. Snyder’s MySpace page — 
which featured a photograph of the student wearing a pirate hat and sipping from a plastic cup.
The picture’s caption: “Drunken Pirate.”
Although Ms. Snyder was of legal drinking age when the photo was taken, Millersville administrators deemed the image “unprofessional,” and they refused to award her an education degree and the teaching certificate that came along with it. (Instead they issued her a degree in English.)
Now Ms. Snyder has filed a federal lawsuit asking Millersville to issue her education degree and teaching certificate. The former student also seeks $75,000 in compensatory damages from the university, according to the Intelligencer Journal of Lancaster, Pa. Millersville officials declined to comment, the newspaper said. —Brock Read
Posted on Friday April 27, 2007 | Permalink |Comments
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This woman worked for and earned her degree. What right does the college have to interfere with her career plans based on some silly picture? It's not like she is nude and you can’t even see her face very well. They could have just asked her to remove the space.
— nefer Apr 28, 06:06 PM #
What some one does on their own time is not anyone’s business. She did nothing illegal or immoral. Will the officials at MU please explain “unprofessional”. Maybe she should have worn a Burger King crown and said,” Got milk?”
— retired teacher Apr 28, 06:46 PM #
Are you kidding me? AT LEAST 75% of people that graduate from college have a picture of similar nature someplace. Give me a break. Everyone is much less professional than they put on normally.
— David H. Apr 28, 08:32 PM #
$75,000 is not enough. The University should pay far and above that cost of tuition for the amount of pain and suffering this student will go through. My space is not their space, it is her space. I’ll not send my child there as a result of such pompous decisions.
— Gary Hall Apr 28, 09:12 PM #
You’re kidding, right? How can anyone tell what she is drinking?
— Charlie Apr 28, 09:38 PM #
Is this a joke? For a silly photo from a Halloween party a woman’s entire career is destoyed? Who are these college officials? The American Taliban?!? Yikes.
— Jean V Apr 29, 03:56 AM #
Go for it! You did nothing wrong.
— duncan Apr 29, 05:12 AM #
This is unbelievable! 25 year old college students (possibly) drinking? I say give her a million, and I’m not a “lawsuit” type person.I guess “freedom of expression” in colleges these days is very selective.
— Barry Apr 29, 01:12 PM #
This is how we lose our freedom. The administrators at Millersville need to be held accountable so that others think twice before abusing their authority.
— Michael Apr 29, 01:48 PM #
I don’t see one thing in this photo that shows anything underage. I think you should sue for WAY more than that. Get your total cost of tuition, boarding and books back as well. Require them to write a Letter of Apology and a Letter of Commendation and require them to assist you with job placement. What a bunch of IDIOTS !!! Hell, over this you could call for the resignation of the President of the University. GO for it, you have a GREAT case. Todd
— Todd Apr 29, 03:09 PM #
Apparently the Millersville U of Penn administrators practice what the teaching profession scorns: prejudice and discrimination. I would like to know who exactly was the administrator that was surfing the ‘net and found Stacy’s picture (if in fact that is Stacy?). I think the Keystone State needs to step back and reevaluate their litmus test. I am sure that if they applied the same standard to their employees, half of them would get the pink slip! I think Stacy would make a great teacher!!!
— David Apr 29, 04:05 PM #
I think that the administration should be investigated to see if they socially drink and have their jobs taken away if they do.
— John Apr 29, 07:10 PM #
I am in 100% agreement with John. These Yayhoo’s at tne school need to get a grip!
— Jim Apr 29, 07:56 PM #
I wish I had gone to law school so I could do some pro bono publico work on her behalf. Surely this cannot be legal; it certainly is illogical and likely fascist
— Devon Apr 30, 10:26 AM #
Silly Jilly keeps it rilly.
— Pirate Keeper Apr 30, 12:24 PM #
That’s just absolutely crazy. Bad enough the instigator of this action has no life and is jealous of someone’s evidently having a good time. Even worse: Some board went along with it. The parties responsible for this should not be in the positions they are in.
— Ernie Apr 30, 12:25 PM #
i dont know any drunken sailors who are teaching in colleges… she should have been more careful… many college kids have pics like this but not all are publicly posted… nevertheless Millersville should have been more understanding… afterall, buried treasure is at stake… aaargh…
— aesook Apr 30, 04:01 PM #
The school has the responsibility to bring this to her attention and express their concern, but what were they thinking? Stacy was of drinking age at the time, not shown to be consuming alcohol, and not shown flat out on the floor drunk. How did they determine this photo implied enough to deny her a teaching certificate? None of my Lancaster county friends, family, or co-workers see the actions taken by the school as justified. This should be settled out of court in Stacy’s favor.
— JGT May 1, 06:31 AM #
Stupid Girl! She should have sued for a million.
— Grace May 2, 01:37 AM #
I am socially conservative, the 50 yr old mother of teenage and young adult children. I do not believe our teachers should be able to “do anything” during their off hrs w/o censure but surely this cannot be construed as offensive by the vast majority of American parents. If she was much older one might question her savvy at posting said picture, but really the university’s actions appear to be unfair and punitive.
— MrsOB May 2, 03:18 PM #
can we ask those self righteous university officials what was in their cups when they passed judgement on Stacy?
— trish May 3, 09:01 PM #
1. it was NOT the university that raised the issue- it was some PINHEAD at the school at which she was doing her student teaching… this was some moron at consetoga valley highschool
2. Conestoga threatened Millersville that they would no longer accept student teachers unless she lost her credentials
3. Millersville is clearly staffed by spineless twits.
Sure using the term ‘drunken’ was perhaps unwise (hey, would ‘tipsy’ be OK? How about “feeling good pirate”? see how silly) but this is not a breach of the PA code of ethics for educators.
Anyone seeking to enroll at Millersville should rethink their choice- the administration there has acted with gross misconduct in this matter.
— Bob May 7, 09:45 PM #
The MU sports teams are “Marauders” with Pirate and parrot mascot / motif. Just f.y.i.
— A Local May 11, 09:18 AM #