A senior at Ayala High School in Chino, California, has been expelled. She had her graduation pictures taken but will not be allowed to participate in the exercises. She purchased a dress for prom, but she will not be permitted to attend the event.
Her offense? She live-streamed a fight (although some sources call the incident a planned attack) at the school. CBS Los Angeles reports that the senior commented: “In our generation, you go live to do makeup, to do everything. It was just going live just to go live. It wasn’t my intent to purposely cause harm to anyone.” She also stated that she had nothing to do with instigating the incident, adding, “No, it was more of an impulsive thing. It was just bad judgment on my part.”
Citing student confidentiality laws, the Chino Valley Unified School District did not offer a comment. However, it did tell the outlet that the student had violated the following education codes: “cyberbullying, intimidation, harassment, and attempting to cause physical injury to another person.” The board sent the girl a letter stating that her presence on campus would present a “danger.” Her mother acknowledged that she and her daughter signed the student/parent handbook, which states that there are infractions for which a student can be expelled. She also told the station that she found it hurtful that the district has said things about her daughter, given her integrity.
The girl will finish her education at another school. She has a $19,000 scholarship and is planning to study law.
Was the expulsion merited? By all indications, she is a good student, hence the $19,000 scholarship. And while she has admitted to live-streaming the incident, she maintains that she had nothing to do with it. Most of our readers are probably over 30, and depending on where you went to school, chances are you witnessed fights and did nothing to stop them.
Conversely, one may argue that school fights have become more vicious in recent years and that people have become more cruel, self-centered, and callous. Furthermore, one could assert that the advent of social media has only exacerbated the problem, particularly when it comes to the matter of school violence. Or personal behavior in general.
Consider a recent sordid event out of New York City and Ireland. In the spirit of international cooperation, Flatiron NoMad Partnership set up massive live-streaming portals between the two cities. The result was a flurry of tasteless jokes, crude remarks, and one incident of an OnlyFans performer in New York flashing viewers in Dublin. The incident demonstrates that people, given the latest technology, can still find a way to make an experience trashy and find new lows to which they can sink.
Thank God the girl’s situation is nowhere near as dire as that. She seems to be someone who has a bright future ahead of her. But the above episode is illustrative of the world in which she has come of age and must navigate. If there is anything to give one pause it is this statement: “In our generation, you go live to do makeup, to do everything. It was just going live just to go live. It wasn’t my intent to purposely cause harm to anyone.” Her generation is mindful that personal validation is measured in clicks, likes, and reactions. Thus, it did not occur to her that she might be glorifying and encouraging acts of violence and trauma. To her, broadcasting a fight/attack to an eager audience was second nature. Everyone posts everything.
The legal and social ramifications of social media have yet to be fully understood. This situation is complicated by the fact that the nature of this technology is constantly evolving. Hopefully, this generation will come to understand that they are worth more than whatever dividends these mediums have to offer.