Shannon P. Duffy
The Legal Intelligencer
February 08, 2010
In a case that could prove to be one of the most important privacy rights battles of the modern era, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear argument this week on the proper legal standard to apply when prosecutors demand cell phone location data.
The data, which are recorded about once every seven seconds whenever a cell phone is turned on, effectively track the whereabouts and the comings and goings of every cell phone user.
Justice Department lawyers argue that, by statute, they need only show “reasonable grounds” to believe that such records are “relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation.”
But a federal magistrate judge in Pittsburgh strongly disagreed in February 2008, issuing a 52-page opinion that said the prosecutors must meet the “probable cause” standard.
(NOTE: While “bullycide” among students in schools is, unfortunately, not uncommon, this may be a rare example of workplace-induced bullycide. The young lady was only 19. This is another reminder that school bullies frequently become workplace bullies! – Mike)
Friday, February 05, 2010 » 06:52pm
A young waitress who killed herself by jumping off a building was the victim of systematic bullying by co-workers at a Melbourne cafe, a court has heard.
Brodie Rae Constance Panlock, 19, was subjected to humiliating and relentless bullying by other workmates at Cafe Vamp in Hawthorn, in Melbourne’s east, before her suicide in September 2006.
Kids can surely be mean to each other. And for those who identify as gay or lesbian, life can be particularly tough. A new study shows these adolescents get bullied two to three times more than their heterosexual peers.
While the researchers aren’t sure why this sexual minority gets bullied more than others or the type of bullying, which can include various verbal insults and physical assaults, they suggest in general those who are different from the social norm are often bully targets. Whatever the cause, the researchers say, the results have implications for parents and schools alike.
“Students, parents, schools and community organizations can work to create environments that are supportive and accepting of all students, regardless of their sexual orientation,” said lead study author Dr. Elise Berlan, a physician in Adolescent Medicine at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio and faculty member at Ohio State University. “Schools, in particular, need to work to increase the awareness of bullying.”
Officials in Massachusetts believe there’s been another deadly case of cyber-bullying in the apparent suicide of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince of South Hadley, Mass.
Prince moved last year to the area from Ireland. While making the transition to a new town and a new country, Prince, officials believe, became the target of intense cyber-bullying, which may have contributed to her apparent suicide.
CBS News correspondent Whit Johnson reports Prince seemed to be well-adjusted and happy, but underneath, friends say, the 15-year-old freshman was tormented — a victim of cyber-bullying.
A friend who did not want to be identified told CBS News, “She was being bullied because she was pretty and people were just jealous.” Prince’s classmate also said he was one of her closest friends, but she never revealed her pain.
(NOTE: You can read the original story here. The article does not suggest that bullying was an issue in the child’s suicide. I suspect that may be clarified during court proceedings. – Mike)
Legal News for Illinois Wrongful Death Attorneys. School district sued for wrongful death of 10-year-old that hung himself at school.
Illinois wrongful death lawyer alerts- A wrongful death lawsuit filed against Evanston Skokie School District 65 for tragic incident involving fifth grader.
Cook County, IL—A tragic incident in which a young boy was found hanging in the school bathroom has resulted in a wrongful death lawsuit against the school district. The suit, brought upon by the fifth-grader’s parents, was filed on Friday, January 29, 2010, in regards to the February 3, 2009 incident, according to information provided by the Chicago Sun-Times.
(NOTE: This links to Dr. David Yamada’s “Minding the Workplace” blog, which focuses on workplace bullying. Dr. Yamada works closely with Dr. Gary Namie, a pioneer in the battle against workplace bullying and a keynote speaker at the 2008 Annual Conference of the International Bullying Prevention Association. – Mike)
At last Wednesday’s Massachusetts legislative committee hearing on the Healthy Workplace Bill (see link below), one state representative asked me about possible connections between workplace bullying and school bullying. It’s an important and recurring question.
I responded that although I am not aware of any definitive studies examining those links, there are definite ties and parallels. Here is a more articulate assessment than what I gave the legislator, based on my 10 years of work on these issues:
A STOMPer was disturbed when he came across this Facebook page belonging to a girl, who seemed to be making fun of a peer for his physical appearance and sexuality.
What’s worse is that the girl’s friends joined in by commenting and indicating that they agreed with what she said, says the disappointed sender.
UPDATE:If South Hadley school officials thought they’d be able to handle this in an officious manner, they were wrong. More than 300 people showed up to a meeting last night to lambast administrators over their failure to do anything about chronic bullying. See update after the jump…
Her principal called her smart and charming. And a boy had just invited 15-year-old Irish immigrant Phoebe Prince to the winter cotillion, the height of the social season at South Hadley High School in Massachusetts. But then police received a call.
It came from one of Phoebe’s sisters. When cops arrived, they found that the freshman student had hung herself. Two days before the big dance.
A sister found 15-year-old Phoebe Prince hanging in her home
Though they’re not releasing any details, police say she was a victim of cyber-bullying from girls at the school who had an unspecified beef with her over who she was dating.
(NOTE: This article is posted for informational purposes as a courtesy to my readers and is not intended as an endorsement. – Mike)
Updated: Jan 28, 2010 10:40 AM MST
Your profile is under your control, not the control of people who post to your wall. Here are a few simple steps you can take to stop people who are trying to hurt you.
Change Your Settings
Update Your Notifications
Let’s start with the Account Settings. On the top right of each Facebook page there is a link called Settings. Click on that. Then click on the Notifications tab. Make sure that you are receiving an email every time someone posts to your wall, tags you in a post, tags you in a photo, tags you in your own photo, comments on your photos, comments on a photo of you, comments after you in a photo, comments on your photo albums, or comments after you in a photo album.
You also want to be notified if anyone replies to a discussion board post you made if you belong to any groups.
By EMERSON CLARRIDGE
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Jan 15, 2010 @ 07:48 PM
Last update Jan 16, 2010 @ 01:35 PM
MOHAWK — The U.S. Justice Department intervention in the civil case of a former Mohawk Central School District student could lead to a broader interpretation of a federal law that prohibits gender discrimination by applying it to the harassment of a gay male, an attorney in the case said Friday night.
The 14-year-old openly gay student, Jacob, who once attended Gregory B. Jarvis Junior/Senior High School, alleges the district failed to stop other students and a teacher from bullying him because of his sexual orientation.
The federal involvement represents a significant shift for the Justice Department under the Obama administration, the New York Civil Liberties Union lawyer said.
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