NJ student gets $117,500

[apcmiller]

p2p news / p2pnet: Ryan Dwyer, a New Jersey student, punished for creating a web site that included critical statements about his middle school, is to get $117,500 from the school district.

The payment comes in the settlement of a lawsuit brought nearly two years ago by the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey.

"Dwyer created the website containing criticism of Maple Place School in April 2003, on his own time from his home computer," says USA Today.

"Comments posted on the site's 'guest book' section angered school officials, who suspended Dwyer for a week, benched him from playing on the baseball team for a month, and barred him from going on his class trip, among other discipline. The district's lawsuit said anti-Semitic remarks were posted on the site, which Dwyer denied writing."

"The school district has never - to this day - explained to us what rule or policy our son violated," said Kevin Dwyer, Ryan's father.

http://p2pnet.net/story/6910