Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Drunken Pirates: MySpace is YourSpace From California to the New York Island

Now this is just stupid: A college student teacher-in-training is denied her degree because she posted this picture on her MySpace account with the caption "Drunken Pirate".

1. Can anyone know the contents of her cup?
2. She was of legal drinking age at the time.
3. Who gives a flip?

She is suing the college for $75,000, her degree (they gave her an English degree instead of a teaching degree) and her teaching certificate.

"The day before graduation, the college confronted me about the picture," Snyder said Thursday. "I was told I wouldn't be receiving my education degree or teaching certificate because the photo was 'unprofessional.' "

Snyder said she apologized for the photograph, but Jane S. Bray, dean of the School of Education, and Provost Vilas A. Prabhu refused to issue the bachelor of science degree in education and teaching certificate Snyder earned.

Instead, the college issued Snyder a bachelor of arts degree in English.

Millersville University spokesperson Janet Kacskos referred questions to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education spokesman Kenn Marshall, who declined comment.

Snyder, a single mother of boys ages 9 and 7, works as a nanny for a family in Lititz.

"I dreamed about being a teacher for a long time," Snyder said. "When I was growing up, I spent more time with my teachers than my own parents, and it inspired me to someday make a positive impact on children."

In my opinion, she should be suing for a lot more money. If they deny her her profession, $75,000 won't cover the first two years of work. What the heck will she do with an English degree?

As an aside, MySpace is read by everyone. People need to start recognizing that displaying their personal life for all to see in every lurid detail can be problematic. It's nice to be ignorant of your co-workers or student's or professor's stupidity. Ah, the good old days......

H/T Boing Boing

3 comments:

Chalmers said...

Message sent to Millersville U:

Your school administration's treatment of Stacy Snyder is ridiculous. How can a person of legal drinking age encourage underage drinking by drinking alcohol? Why would a university respond in such a heavy handed way when a simple "slap on the wrist" would have been sufficient.

It is my sincere hope that you will settle this case and grant the degree and certificate earned by Ms. Snyder. If you do not, I hope that she wins her case and is awarded Punitive Damages in an amount much larger than the $75,000 she is seeking in compensatory damages.

Anonymous said...

Two axioms that explain it all:

1) "Stupidity is like hydrogen; it's the basic building block of the Universe." -- Frank Zappa

2) Overreaction is funny as long as you're not the one being targeted.

Anonymous said...

Chalmers, more people should do what you did. Good for you!