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Waterbury Republican-American
May 25, 2007
Mother claims school treated daughter unfairly over blog post
BURLINGTON — The parent of a Lewis S. Mills High school student claims her daughter is being treated unfairly over comments that appeared on her Internet blog, and she’s hoping the matter will find its way to court.
Lauren Doninger said late Thursday her 16-yearold daughter, Avery, had planned to seek her fourth-term as secretary of her class in an election today, but her name was removed from the ballot last week by Principal Karissa Niehoff.
That’s because Avery, frustrated because a battle of the bands at the school had been postponed, called school district administrators a derogatory term on her blog, Doninger said. The girl thought the blog was private. Doninger said another student then replied, hurling an obscenity toward Superintendent Paula Schwartz. Doninger said someone sent the blog to Niehoff.
Doninger said the principal told her daughter to apologize to Schwartz, tell her mother and drop out of the race for secretary. When Avery Doninger was unwilling to bend on the third order, Niehoff pulled the plug on her campaign, her mother said. Niehoff could not be reached for comment late Thursday.
Doninger said the blog brouhaha came after a respectful e-mail campaign from students asking parents to support the concert. “I cannot let this go, this is so wrong,” she said, pointing out the blog post happened outside of school.
Doninger said she plans to contact the American Civil Liberties Union.
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