United States Fourth Circuit

In a Section 1983 action alleging the defendant-school district violated plaintiff's right to free speech after it suspended her for creating a MySpace page to ridicule a fellow student, summary judgment in favor of the defendant is affirmed where plaintiff's conduct was sufficiently connected to the school environment so as to implicate the defendant’s recognized authority to discipline speech which materially and substantially interferes with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school and collides with the rights of others.

Appellate Information

• Decided 07/27/2011
• Published 07/27/2011

Judges

• NIEMEYER

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel