By Nisha Panjabi

Over the past month, school administrators have suspended about seven students for their postings on Facebook, prompting students to question if their First Amendment rights are being violated.

“It’s none of Cal High’s business, it’s just a group on Facebook,” said senior Nicole Meyer.

Many students find such disciplinary measures irrational because they believe they have freedom of speech on campus and off.

Some suspensions have been for online sexual harassment or cyber-bullying, while others have involved students who created Facebook groups related to Cal High.

A group on Facebook is a page where people share a common interest or opinion about something that Facebook users can “like.”

“Is this America?” asked sophomore Ryan Spalding, who received a one-day suspension for creating a Facebook group related to the campus brawls on April 15.

“I thought it was unfair,” said Ryan. “We should have freedom of speech.”

Ryan and a friend, whose name will not be published at his parents’ request, created a group on Facebook called “you were running around in the Cal High riot.”

Ryan faced one day of suspension, while his friend, who had also created a Facebook event called “brawl in the quad,” was suspended for three days.

Assistant principal Damon Wright said that although these boys made these pages without intending harm, these fan pages could have increased the fights since it was a very serious and sensitive issue involving racism.

“When you create a page like that, it encourages people to continue the situation,” said Wright.

After being suspended, the boys were forced to delete the group and event from Facebook, even though California Education Code 48907 states public school students have the right to exercise freedom of speech and of the press.

Ed Code 48907, however, also says anything created by students that incites dangerous actions are prohibited by the state.

Junior Bonnie Lockner’s Facebook group “I hate California High School” fell into a gray area.

Bonnie was advised by administrators to delete the group and was told by assistant principal Damon Wright that police could get involved.

“I do take responsibility for it (the fan page), and I will take the blame for anything bad that happens,” said Bonnie, who did not remove the page.

School Resource Officer Rob Ransom said police would not get involved if the situation is not breaking the law.

“I work here to enforce the law, not school rules,” said Ransom.

Bonnie’s Facebook group still remains since her page was not posing a threat.

Many wonder how Cal administrators learn of these Facebook groups in the first place.

There have been many rumors that an administrator created a fake Facebook profile to spy on students.

“We are all very busy and work really hard,” Wright said. “We don’t have time to go on Facebook, and we are never looking for anything. Parents, teachers, and even students bring us information.”

In the case of the two boys, a concerned parent printed the page and brought it to Wright because it had many photographs of the fights on the page.

In spite of this, students for the most part still believe that administrators and teachers have no right to tell them what’s appropriate on the Internet and what isn’t.

“Students shouldn’t be suspended for such a small thing,” said sophomore Mitsu Solanki. “Pages on Facebook don’t hurt anyone at school.”