Over the weekend, Brandon posted about Kansas high schooler Emma Sullivan, who met Governor Sam Brownback on a field trip, and then got in a heap of trouble after tweeting her thoughts about him:
After her visit, Emma Tweeted of her time with the anti-gay, anti-Palestinian, anti-evolution, anti-stem-cell-research governor:
just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot
Apparently, Emma Sullivan didn't actually tell Gov. Brownback that he "sucked, in person." Still, she thinks he sucks. So — how did Gov. Brownback respond to this teenager's assault on his non-sucktitude? His staff contacted her school's principal. Now, Emma's got to write a letter to the governor apologizing for voicing her opinions.
Now, Brownback has apologized for overreacting, LJ World reports:
Said Brownback: “My staff overreacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize. Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms. I enjoyed speaking to the more than 100 students who participated in the Youth in Government Program at the Kansas Capitol. They are our future. I also want to thank the thousands of Kansas educators who remind us daily of our liberties, as well as the values of civility and decorum. Again, I apologize for our over-reaction.”
Sullivan said she landed in the principal’s office for nearly an hour and was told she had embarrassed her school and district. Principal Krawitz told her to write a letter of apology. At first Sullivan said that she would but that she wasn’t sorry. Then she refused to apologize, and the Shawnee Mission school district earlier Monday issued a statement saying she didn’t have to.
“The district acknowledges a student’s right to freedom of speech and expression is constitutionally protected,” the district’s statement said, adding, “The issue has resulted in many teachable moments concerning the use of social media.”
