Lest week, a friend of mine (also a Virginia Tech student) was kicked out of the university library for watching a youtube video about a firearm he was interested in. It is completely legal to watch this, even as a university code complying VT student on a library computer. It appears that some anonymous person peered over my friend's shoulder and thought the worst of the situation. It's like seeing someone watching Mythbusters blow up Buster and calling the police for assault.
Come to think of it, this is exactly what happened with my friend. A person was put in fear of imminent harm by the actions of another, the definition of assault.
My friend wasn't watching in order to scare those peering over his shoulder, he was peacefully pursuing a personal interest.
An excerpt from an email from my Governor-Appointed better, the President of the university, tells me that I should:
"Avoid visiting or commenting on sites that contain threatening and harassing material.
If you observe behaviors that cause you concern for your safety, or that of the community, contact the Virginia Tech Police."
I wonder if the recommendations are now policy? Can I visit sights that talk about negative things anymore? Am I bound by the VT standards of community to shun certain subjects? Or should I not do anything that might cause busybodies to fret?
I don't think I can do any of those. As an unschooler I must pursue my own curriculum.
The excerpt above merits little fear, but the situation my friend was put in was a result of these recommendations. How bad does an application of pseudo-policy have to be in order to be reprehensible? Say, the level caused by limitation of internet use to approved content?
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