Social Media and the First Amendment: Educators’ Trap Game

Monica Williams, a beloved counselor of an urban middle school, is shocked to learn that she is being terminated for a comment she made on Facebook. This case was developed for use in an educational leadership course for students to evaluate an educator’s right to freedom of speech in relation to social media. Instructors can use the case to encourage dialogue around legal issues and ethical considerations of an individual’s rights versus community standards. The discussion questions are designed to guide students in analyzing the scenario through legal policies, ethical considerations, and human resource issues