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In the latest edition of Time Magazine, author and Yale law professor Adam Cohen presents an overly simplistic portrayal of New Jersey's new "cyberbullying" law as a "model" for the nation.

In the latest edition of Time Magazine, author and Yale law professor Adam Cohen presents an overly simplistic portrayal of New Jersey's new "cyberbullying" law as a "model" for the nation. Cohen's method of analysis, which typifies the reasoning of many state legislators, can be reduced to this: "Bullying is a big problem. This is a tough legal response. Therefore, it is good." Well, maybe. But when even the lobbyists for school administrators are publicly fretting that the schools are being given too much authority (or as they see it, too much responsibility), then you have to wonder whether the train has jumped the rails.

Katherine Evans said she was frustrated with her English teacher for ignoring her pleas for help with assignments and a brusque reproach when she missed class to attend a school blood drive. So Evans, who was then a high school senior and honor student, logged onto the networking site Facebook and wrote a rant against the teacher, Sarah Phelps. "To those select students who have had the displeasure of having Sarah Phelps, or simply knowing her and her insane antics: Here is the place to express your feelings of hatred," she wrote. Her posting drew a handful of responses, some of which were in support of the teacher and critical of Evans. "Whatever your reasons for hating her are, they're probably very immature," a former student of Phelps wrote in her defense. A few days later, Evans removed the post from her Facebook page and went about the business of preparing for graduation and studying journalism in the fall. But two months after her online venting, Evans was called into the principal's office and was told she was being suspended for "cyberbullying," a blemish on her record that she said she feared could keep her from getting into graduate schools or landing her dream job.

Op-ed on NJ cyberbullying law and it's impact on student rights

Article that deals with how cyberbullying laws like the one in New Jersey might impact student free speech rights. Includes an interview with Avery Doninger.