The World Wide Web is a “public forum” and our Constitution guarantees certain free speech rights to its users. Free speech protections can apply even if a school administrator thinks a teacher’s personal website is inappropriate, offensive, or damaging to the school’s reputation. Students enjoy even greater free speech protection. Schools may not interfere with student use of home computers and internet systems unless the content of a student’s emails or postings constitutes a “material disruption to class work” or “involves substantial disorder or invasion of the rights of others,” which courts have interpreted as containing threats or references to violence.

Legal analysis aside, though, the larger issue may be whether we all shouldn’t be more careful about what we say in emails and post on personal websites. As Ms. Snyder’s case shows, personal websites really aren’t that “personal.” The words and images we post on personal websites are out there for the world to see. What our friends and family members understand to be a joke easily may be misconstrued by an employer, the parent of a student we teach, a college admissions counselor, etc. and clearly can affect the decisions those people make about us.