I can't wait for all the concerned media critics who complain about "pretty girls" getting all the attention when they're kidnapped, raped and murdered show up to protest this latest media coverage imbalance!

This is complete and utter bullshit. It's censorhip, oppression, and discriminatory!!!

The extent of actions taken should only extend to being kicked off the cheerleading squad because of the pictures taken in their cheerleading uniforms. Other than that, this is a clear violation of their freedom of expression.

(1) The school has no jurisdiction over the internet.
(2) The school cannot prove that any of those pictures were posted from school premises--and I doubt they were.
(3) The school is in no position to either determine what does and does not constitute lady like behaviur nor impose said definition on the student body--besides, I seriously doubt that doing the splits in miniskirts while boys tackle and sack each other could fit into anyone's definition of lady like.

I read an article today on how employers are now looking up MySpace and Facebook pages to check on employees before and after hire.
I know this is an offshoot to the above article but I do think its an important discussion as more and more information becomes public (and PS--people don't *have* to post personal pages of their life story, they chose to).
When information becomes public what do we assume can be taken from it? Is it just a page to be passed over and forgotten--I can't imagine thats the inention of girls who post photos miming out felatio. To what extent are instituions (government, busines, etc...) allowed to take from these? Just wondering the opinions.

At any yate, I think these girls did this for attention and reaction. They got that, so at the end of the day, suspended or not, we have ensured atleast one more fresh batch of attention-needy teens to do something else worthy of Newsweek.

Several things I see wrong with this picture.

One: Mom/Principal gets fired. For what? Being responsible? Giving the decisions on the situation to another administrator so to prevent her own bias AND going along with whatever they recommended? That sounds pretty responsible and professional (as a principal) to me. While (at least as far as the alcohol/tobacco is concerned) she could have kept a better eye on her kid, teenagers sneak around, you can't watch them all the time.

Two: The condom issue. I think this is a two sided issue. I'd like to see how male students in the same situation would be treated. I think that if they where in football uniforms with the name of the school, playing with condoms and posting pics thereof would get them in trouble (although I personally feel it would be much less harsh) because with the school uniform you are representing the school. In street clothes though I have a different opinion. It isn't illegal for the teens to have them (male or female) and so if they where not in thier uniforms, I don't think the school could have done anything to begin with. Student athlete (cheer included) codes of conduct cover not participating in/condoning illegal activity (ie, drinking) and behavior while representing the school (such as in uniform). I'm not even going to get started on the use of the word 'unladylike' behavior as a reason for punishment.

Note to The Bourbs: As far as the alcohol and tobacco pictures, most schools require student atheletes, including cheerleaders, to sign code of conduct forms to be able to participate. While I agree that the issue about the condoms being listed as 'unladylike behavior' is sexist and they shouldn't be punished for it, the alcohol and tobacco is something they should have been no part of to begin with.

I believe I'm going to agree with most of what's arleady been said. School's usually do have student atheletes/club members either sign something or pledge to uphold the code of the school and to not represent them badly so the girls posing in the sex shop (was it a sex/educational shop?) with the condom would be a problem, probably because if they're under 18/21 whatever the law is, that's illegall and it's illegal with them in their uniforms to boot. If someone knows Texas law let me know, I could be wrong.

Alcohol is problamatic because it is illegal for minors to posses alchohol and them posting photos of underage drinking (? did you see them drinking or was she just holding the bottle?) can be seen as bad in various ways even though it's over and done with.

Just from reading the news week article I don't understand why this has made national news and I agree with Pisaquari, these girls wanted attention and now they got it on a massive scale, which may only encourage others.

I must be the class dunce, but I can't get past the idea that we still think it's ok for predominantly and almost exclusively girls to dress up in short skirts in order to cheer for predominantly and almost exclusively male sports.

Of COURSE this got national attention - it allows middle-aged asses to sexualize these girls guilt-free. Throw in the "un-lady-like" just so the asses can feel okay about imagining "punishing" the girl. Erm...ick.

This sh*t excuse for news goes away when the sickness is cured.

I...can't...go...on....I'm so damned ANGRY!

You're kidding me, right? These girls behaved irresponsibly, disrespectfully and dangerously (posting pics on myspace? Not cute or self-expression in my book-pedophiles much?). This isn't a feminist issue, its an issue of priviledged, "mean girls" who need to learn some respect and boundaries.

okay. these girls are from texklahoma (plano and north), also known as the shithead capital of the world. at least they didn't post the pics on the school's wikipedia site...

Since, in Texas, it is illegal to sell a dildo or vibrator for any purpose other than "educational demonstration of proper condom application," it's clear to me that the state places a high priority on educating people on the merits of correctly applied prophylactics using accurate scale models.

(ahem)

Therefore, the girls should be lauded, not reviled, for their intrepid extracurricular investigtations of this important topic.

What baffles me is that people are reacting to this as if these girls are doing something unusual. Don't common sitcoms show high school girls doing pranks with dildos? Think "White Chicks" or "Jawbreaker."

And explain to me again why a picture in which girls pose in a condom store and simulate oral sex on an inanimate object (in poor taste, but not illegal) garners a harsher punishment than a photo documenting underage drinking, which is actually illegal.

"These girls behaved irresponsibly, disrespectfully and dangerously (posting pics on myspace? Not cute or self-expression in my book-pedophiles much?)."

that rubs me the wrong way...in the sense that they must not do what they want because of fear of some random guy seeing it. how many times have i seen myspace pictures of dudes doing things ten times worse but they never get the lame pedophile argument.

"I must be the class dunce, but I can't get past the idea that we still think it's ok for predominantly and almost exclusively girls to dress up in short skirts in order to cheer for predominantly and almost exclusively male sports."

EXACTLY. my father told me when i was about 8 "you will never be a cheerleader, you will play your own sports and succeed, not cheer for a male team"

i personally think cheerleading is extraordinarily demeaning to women. but thats just me.

"i personally think cheerleading is extraordinarily demeaning to women."

Does that include the male cheerleaders?