Kansas teen won't apologize to governor's office for Twitter post

belimom

Speak the truth even if your voice shakes~M.Kuhn
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I agree with the teen - this is an issue of free speech. I'm glad she has the support of her parents.

Kansas teen won't apologize to governor's office for Twitter post

During a Kansas Youth in Government field trip to the state Capitol on November 21, Sullivan wrote: "Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot."

The Shawnee Mission East senior said she did not actually talk to Brownback, and the post referenced a joke she had with a student on the trip.
........
"My principal told me he needed to do damage control and was really upset," Sullivan said. "He said I was an embarrassment to the school and the school district and that I had been disrespectful."

The principal then asked her to write a letter of apology to Brownback and his staff. He set Monday as the due date for the letter.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/28/us/kansas-high-schooler-tweet/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
 
She is also correct in her assessment of the current Kansas leadership regime.
 
I don't think that free speech guarantees that one can say anything they want without consequence.

The student was on a school field trip, and thus, an ambassador of the school during their time there.

Telling anybody that "they suck" (especially without saying why you might think that) is rude. I'm not sure that parents are doing their child a service by supporting this kind of lazy thinking.

A more appropriate response from the school would, in my opinion, be to have the student write a respectful letter about why they disapprove of the Governor's leadership.
 
I agree with the teen - this is an issue of free speech. I'm glad she has the support of her parents.

Me to, belimom. I spent a couple hrs. yesterday killing time and reading the posts below the article and it sounds like she also has alot of support from fellow Kansans.

I'd be mad about the gov cutting the arts in public schools too! Wonder how much those folks who monitor social media are paid? IMO, he should get volunteer supporters to monitor social media and apply that money for arts in public schools. While I do understand the need for public officals to monitor for any threats, Ms. Sullivan's tweet was not threatening, just stating her opinion of the guy. I admire her for standing her ground against the Principal and refusing to write a fake apology to the gov.

Way to go Emma! Speak freely....it is your constitutional right.

wm
 
I don't think that free speech guarantees that one can say anything they want without consequence.

The student was on a school field trip, and thus, an ambassador of the school during their time there.

Telling anybody that "they suck" (especially without saying why you might think that) is rude. I'm not sure that parents are doing their child a service by supporting this kind of lazy thinking.

A more appropriate response from the school would, in my opinion, be to have the student write a respectful letter about why they disapprove of the Governor's leadership.

I disagree. I don't think being on a field trip makes her an ambassador. Did you read the linked article? She didn't talk to the governor so she didn't tell him he sucked - she posted a tweet to her friends stating her opinion of him. For any politician to be this thin skinned is unbelievable. If he can't take the heat he should get out of politics.
 
I disagree. I don't think being on a field trip makes her an ambassador. Did you read the linked article? She didn't talk to the governor so she didn't tell him he sucked - she posted a tweet to her friends stating her opinion of him. For any politician to be this thin skinned is unbelievable. If he can't take the heat he should get out of politics.

Read it again, TrackerSam.

She, herself says, "...and told him he sucked"...sounds like she told him, to me, even indirectly, as in, a tweet.

It's not a matter of being thin skinned as I see it. It's a matter of respect, and perhaps being mature, wherein one does not have to say, out loud, everything that pops into their little pea brain.


Should she have to write a letter of apology? What would be the point? She has a right to her feelings, and she obviously thinks she acted appropriately. Any apology letter she sent would be insincere. She has a right to express her feelings, but perhaps she should choose her words more carefully to avoid such backlash. Was she an embarrassment to her school? Well, her actions sure put the school in the public eye, and not in a positive way.
 
What a fool the Gov is! If I were that student, I would sharpen my pen into a lethal weapon and write that apology letter-- with cc going to a number of others.

This girl is eighteen, an adult in this country, she can say/write whatever she wants to. If the school chooses to make her stand at the blackboard and write sentences, then that's there business. But, the office of the Governor has NO business responding to a high schooler's snotty retort! Is he insane?

Here's mine.

Dear Mr. Governor,

I'm sorry your backbone is insufficient to bear the weight of my High Schoolish retort, but sir, I am in High School. I am also sorry your staff wasted so many hours in contacting my school authorities to demand they extract this apology from me, so I will say again-- Sir, I am sorry you heard that I said you suck.

Suck is a word people of my age throw around a lot, for instance, our school facilities SUCK, our lunches SUCK, our text books SUCK, our music program SUCKS-- I could go on, but I'm sure you get the picture.

I really had no idea a bunch of professional people would be so thin skinned as to be insulted by my little epithet, and for that, I am truly sorry.

This Student in Your State,

:)
 
I don't believe she said it to his face. If she had, then it would be all over the media - more witnesses, etc.

If she had said to his face, then I think an apology *might* be in order for being rude and now showing respect, but not for stating her dissatisfaction. Just out of courtesy - as I believe all of our leaders deserve respect. It's okay to let a leader know you disagree, but it can be done with respect, which is how differences should be resolved.

But since it was a twitter, then I think whatever she said is fine and does not need an apology.

Either way - to his face or on twitter - it's protected by free speech. She can be encouraged to apologize but cannot and should not be forced to.
 
She actually made no such comment and said she was "just joking with friends." But Brownback's office, which monitors social media for postings containing the governor's name, saw Sullivan's post and contacted the Youth in Government program.

Sullivan received a scolding at school and was ordered to send Brownback an apology letter. She said Prinicipal Karl R. Krawitz even suggested talking points for the letter she was supposed to turn in Monday.

.....

Sullivan has received emails from attorneys but is waiting to see what happens when she refuses to hand in a letter. Krawitz, her principal, told The Kansas City Star previously that the situation is a "private issue, not a public matter" but didn't return a phone message from The Associated Press at his home Sunday.

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/28/142843649/teen-tweeter-wont-apologize-to-kansas-governor

bbm

1) She didn't make the comment, only tweeted.

2) I disagree with the principal since this is a public school and receives federal funds. I would still disagree if it were a private school, but the fact that it is a public school makes it very much a public matter. You know, tax dollars, the Constitution, free speech, and all that stuff.
 
I don't think that free speech guarantees that one can say anything they want without consequence.

The student was on a school field trip, and thus, an ambassador of the school during their time there.

Telling anybody that "they suck" (especially without saying why you might think that) is rude. I'm not sure that parents are doing their child a service by supporting this kind of lazy thinking.

A more appropriate response from the school would, in my opinion, be to have the student write a respectful letter about why they disapprove of the Governor's leadership.


This. I love the last part. But the kid is a fool because she's made it clear that she twitters without a second thought. So much for getting a decent job for a while.

Now that it's national news good luck indeed.


She shouldn't have been asked to apologize. And I commend her parents for standing behind her for freedom of speech. However like Spidey says, "with great power comes great responsibility" and who knows maybe this will get her into politics or something but it was childish and irresponsible.

I don't think she said it to his face but I do think she said it in hearing distance probably while she was tweeting about him. I can't see a politician caring that much about a kid's tweet, how did he even find out about it?
 

I agree with the man quoted from VML that it's great that she has such a strong opinion and cares about politics. It was a high school gov't group and she said she is trying to get more involved and learn more, since she just registered to vote.

I used to teach, and there is nothing worse than apathetic students who only care about passing and giving the 'right answer'. Kudos to her.
 
Lots of speech is rude, provocative, perhaps out of place. AND PROTECTED.
 
Lots of speech is rude, provocative, perhaps out of place. AND PROTECTED.

Yep. But how far? How many television and radio people have recently been fired for exercising their right to free speech?

Freedom is not free. There are consequences and now she's getting hit with them.


One thing, in watching the video that's linked above you see that this wasn't a chance meeting. The Governor worked with the school for a government class. He took time out of his day to give a speech to the students and the girl said something and then tweeted.

In the video listen to how she repeats what she said, she said she listened to the speech and then said he sucked and she didn't agree with things he said.


She said

"Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot." The way she said it was she just made mean comments to him and told him he sucked, IN PERSON as if she was happy she told him off in person.

That's rude.



I think this is what led to them finding the tweet, otherwise how in the world would they find out about it?

I think the school got upset because for the governor to work for your school for a program like that is very nice and supportive even if he is a jerk.

She's basically ruined the experience for all future students. Well done Emma. You must be so proud.
 
It appears that Ms. Sullivan's specific concern with the Governor is in relation to arts funding being cut.

"I think it would be interesting to have a dialogue with him," she said. "I don't know if he would do it or not though. And I don't know that he would listen to what I have to say."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/27/emma-sullivan-apology-sam-brownback-tweet_n_1115382.html

Why would the Governor listen to what she has to say? She said nothing constructive at all.

If Ms Sullivan had tweeted her thoughts about cuts arts funding, she would have a) behaved maturely, b) started a respectful dialogue about an important issue and c) reflected well on herself, her family and her school.

Frankly, I am surprised by how many people seem supportive of her tweet. How does it further dialogue when vulgar, rude language is used?

Manners go a long way in the world. Ms Sullivan is now nationally known as a person who is proud of using social media in a crass manner. Is that the kind of reputation anyone would want for their child? I suspect that this will come back to haunt her...perhaps when she starts her job search?
 
Yep. But how far? How many television and radio people have recently been fired for exercising their right to free speech?

Freedom is not free. There are consequences and now she's getting hit with them.


One thing, in watching the video that's linked above you see that this wasn't a chance meeting. The Governor worked with the school for a government class. He took time out of his day to give a speech to the students and the girl said something and then tweeted.

In the video listen to how she repeats what she said, she said she listened to the speech and then said he sucked and she didn't agree with things he said.


She said

"Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot." The way she said it was she just made mean comments to him and told him he sucked, IN PERSON as if she was happy she told him off in person.

That's rude.



I think this is what led to them finding the tweet, otherwise how in the world would they find out about it?

I think the school got upset because for the governor to work for your school for a program like that is very nice and supportive even if he is a jerk.

She's basically ruined the experience for all future students. Well done Emma. You must be so proud.

The more speech is limited, the more freedom of speech is lost.

Sam Brownback's involvement in Kansas Youth in Government is really no more than a media event. He isn't clamoring, say, to work exclusively with the students of Shawnee Mission East. It's a block of time filled in on his calendar, a one-shot yearly deal.

Brownback can espouse his views - anti-gay, anti-evolution, anti-Choice - because we have freedom of speech, regardless of how others of us feel about these matters.

Emma Sullivan was not working at a job. She is a student.

Emma's freedom of speech gives her the right to state her opinion of Sam Brownback.
 
We all have the same freedom of speech.
The difference is, some of us have learned that we don't have to say everything that's on our mind. It's called maturity.

How many times do you want to tell your boss off? You can, you know. You have a right to free speech. Will you have a job tomorrow? Maybe not. What was the better choice? To blow your top and get instant gratification, or keep your job?

Yeah, I know. She's a student. She's not working. But she will be one day. But not for long, if she continues to exercise her right to free speech whenever the mood strikes her.

Yeah, everyone's applauding her for speaking her mind...maybe because as mature adults, you've all in been in situations where you wanted to do the same, but realized the folly of it.
 
Punishing a student for exercising her freedom of speech is just another ploy to turn out citizens who will not question those in power.
 
Punishing a student for exercising her freedom of speech is just another ploy to turn out citizens who will not question those in power.

So...there should be no consequences?

Hey, if you want to call that teacher you don't like every name in the book, and scream it to the whole studyhall while you're dancing on a table, go ahead. You have freedom of speech.

Just know that there are consequences for everything. Some good, some not so good.

What worries me is this is the generation we're raising, to be the next "people in power." Rude, arrogant, nasty, with, seemingly, no manners.
 

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