Scenario+5

A large group of middle school students have arrived at school with "Stop KONY 2012" in large black letters on their cheeks and hands in support of the STOP KONY campaign that had gone viral via YouTube and Facebook the night before.

As an Administrator, you actually were unaware of this campaign and were unclear of what your students were protesting. You and your APs held a quick meeting after morning announcements to research. Many of the teachers were emailing each other as well as you and their respective APs, as they also were unaware of the campaign. However, the students were not being disruptive and were continuing to participate in class as normal. One could say, it seemed like a silent protest.

Around 3rd period, one teacher, who was not informed about the campaign, sends five of her students to her respective AP, Ms. Millians, with a referral. The referral states that the students had "Stop KONY 2012" written on their cheek but nothing else. Ms. Millians asks the students what happened and all the students are dumbfounded. They explained that they entered the room, the teacher asked what was on their cheeks, the students tried to explain, the teacher told them to go to the bathroom to wash it off, one student explained that it was a protest, and then the teacher wrote the referral and sent them to Ms. Millians.

However, suddenly, during one of the lunches, some students decided to organize an impromptu STOP KONY rally in the cafeteria using the microphone.

As an administrator, discuss in your groups the following: 1. How do you handle disseminating information about the campaign to your staff? (or not) 2. How do you handle any disciplinary action teachers may take against a student who is not being disruptive, but taking a stand? What response to you give parents who call upset that their child was sent to Ms. Millians for seemingly "no reason"? 3. What is your plan of action in regards to the rally? 4. How do you handle the students' right to expression?