Should teen who tweeted about Gov. Brownback apologize?

[kckady]

Fairway teen Emma Sullivan says she won't apologize to Gov. Sam Brownback for a disparaging tweet she sent during a school trip to Topeka, rejecting her school principal's demand for a written apology: http://bit.ly/vKUwtZ

What do you think? Should she apologize? What would you do if this were your daughter?

[frizzed]

Fairway teen Emma Sullivan says she won't apologize to Gov. Sam Brownback for a disparaging tweet she sent during a school trip to Topeka, rejecting her school principal's demand for a written apology: http://bit.ly/vKUwtZ

What do you think? Should she apologize? What would you do if this were your daughter?

She shouldn't be forced but she should want to - VERY disrespectful. She has a right to free speech and just because she can, doen't mean she should. What she did was very immature. If she were my kid, I would be pissed, she wouldn't be taking another breath until she apologized. If it were Obama and she said something like that, the Secret Service would be at her doorstep before the sun went down - yes - I have seen this happen IRL so I know it can happen!

Too many people think that disagreeing with someone's politics and stance on the issue gives them license to be disrespectful. I am no fan of Obama but if I were a guest at the White House, no matter how I felt I would be honored and respectful. I have taught my kids the same - too bad this kid didn't get the memo.

[mighty]

I think the gov's office overreacted (aren't politicians supposed to have thick skins?). This was a joke, not a threat. Should she apologize? Probably. Should she be forced to do that? No.

[JayhawkKaty]

I don't think she should be forced to. She only made the comments to her Twitter followers (only 65 at the time she tweeted) - she didn't actually say them out loud to the governor himself.

It's too bad that some paranoid person in his office has the time to hunt for references about the Governor.

If she were my daughter, I wouldn't force her to apologize, either, and if the SME principal keeps making a big deal about it, I would transfer her to another school. She is 18, after all.

On a side note, I don't think this is any more disrespectful than how many people, including the media, call President Obama simply Obama. Now that's disrespectful.

[vengholm]

Part of what I love about America is that you can make comments about your political leaders without repercussion. Maybe they were disrespectful, but come on! She didn't make a threat. She just said he sucked. She gets to say that.

[8377]

I believe the school is calling for an apology because the incident embarrassed the principal and the school. If this were my daughter, I would be upset and angry that she chose this medium to voice her disagreements with the Governor. Unfortunately, this is how that generation communicates. BUT that does not absolve her of all responsibility for her actions/tweets. Tweets are free speech, but as with all freedom, we must take responsibility for our actions.

Tweeting during a speech by the Governor, on a school trip, during school hours is disrespectful to both the Governor and the school. (Think of it like a group of kids sitting in the back whispering, giggling, talking during a speech - similar concept). It most likely violates other rules put in place by the school for field trips such as this. Are cell phones allowed to be used during field trips? If not, the punishment should be relevant to the violation of that rule. She should apologize for not following that rule, for being disrespectful during the Govenor's speech.

If it were my daughter and she felt strongly about the policies of the Governor - then I would also encourage her to write why she feels he "sucks" in her letter. She should not apologize for disagreeing, but apologize for being disruptive during the speech.

[Yahoo]

One thing to make comments in class or at home, but what makes this apology-worthy is the fact that she was a guest of the school and governor. Don't have to like him, but she needs to learn polite behavior. My child would be apologizing to the governor and the school.

Like someone said earlier, just because you have the right to say it doesn't make it right.

[kckady]

Here's the latest from the governor and the school district: http://bit.ly/sdDyXL

[moosebane]

Thank God we live in a country where you can say (or tweet) what you think without fear of the Gestapo kicking your door in.

Or do we?

The girl made a stupid remark on Twitter, but not to the governor himself. So what? As has been pointed out, she didn't make a threat, and we do ostensibly have freedom of speech. That is supposed to apply to all citizens. Yes, she was rude and yes, she was disrespectful, but I think the governor's staff just got too full of their own sense of power.

The lesson this young lady actually needs is not to take unfair advantage of a day spent someplace other than school. A tour of the state capitol is a wonderful learning experience, and she should be aware that she might have missed something truly important or interesting while she was busy acting like a kid.

[vengholm]

Here's the latest from the governor and the school district: http://bit.ly/sdDyXL

Good. I'm glad they recognize her right to free speech. It's not against the law to be disrespectful, and she shouldn't be forced to apologize.