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XXX Internet in the Classroom?

Wednesday, April 23, 2008 1:16 PM - By Kashmir Hill

computer copy.jpgWe’ve been covering the University of Chicago Law School’s decision to ban internet in the classroom. Courtesy of another law school, here’s some evidence to support denying internet access to law students while in class.

Over at American University Washington College of Law, some students are apparently taking full -frontal advantage of their internet privileges:

From: David Jaffe
Date: Tue, Apr 22, 2008 at 5:11 PM
Subject: Classroom Incident
To: undisclosed-recipients

It has been brought to my attention that several students in the second-year part-time division were viewing pornography online during a recent class, in plain view of a portion of the class and with no attempt to disguise their behavior. This conduct not only reflects poorly on the students involved but also may serve to create a sexually hostile environment. Such conduct violates federal law, the rules of professional conduct, and the American University Code of Student Conduct.

WCL expects students to act with integrity and to maintain high personal and professional standards. This expectation is called into question by the inappropriate behavior that I have described. I call on those students who were involved in this incident to present themselves to me with an explanation for their actions, suggesting in the strongest terms that they do so before I am forced to follow a specific course of action through the WCL Honor Code and the American University Code of Student Conduct.

David Jaffe
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
American University Washington College of Law

Solitaire wasn’t doing it for them, apparently.

We contacted Dean Jaffe for comment (and to learn the fate of the purported pornaholics). He issued the following comment:

I received in response to the foregoing email a communication from a student who acknowledged opening in class an email forwarded to his non-law school account containing what was meant to be humorous pictures, which he described as having the potential to be taken inappropriately. The student indicated that while someone could have thought the email was in bad taste that it was not pornographic. The student expressed that he did not intend for anyone to read his screen, and asked for the chance to personally apologize to anyone who may have been offended. The student added that he holds himself to a higher moral standard than the email portrayed, but accepted full responsibility for opening the email while at school.

We intend to take the necessary and appropriate steps to resolve this matter and to ensure that other students are not affected in the future.

Was the email in question pornographic? We don’t know, since we never saw it. As Justice Potter Stewart famously observed, when it comes to porn, you know it when you see it.

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Posted in: American University - Washington College of Law, Law Schools, Pornography

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