Can our school legally punish us for what we do on facebook?

It's probably an empty threat. I don't know if UK law is somehow different, but generally speaking, no, your school should not have the authority to regulate what you do online during non-school hours, provided it is not illegal in itself. They may be able to regulate what you do on the laptop they provide, if policy or contract allows for that, including blocking sites, tracking use, or whatever else, but certainly not what your friend does on his home computer. Your own or someone else's parents should be able to advocate for you on this, as well. Not every adult agrees that minors somehow do not have rights, or that schools are somehow the ultimate authority over your lives and your minds. I certainly don't believe that. Sounds to me like your school needs to be put in its place a little. If I were you, once this issue comes to whatever end it comes to, I would get to work figuring out how to remove, defeat, or turn off this invasive software, and get the whole student body to do it all at once. If you own the computer, you are free to do that, it's not a law that has that software on there, it's just school policy. You may need to enlist the help of an older friend or maybe someone's older sibling to figure out how to do it, but I can tell you right now, it's far from impossible. Look, I've BEEN a teacher, ok? So it's strange to be telling you this. But I think what your school is doing is wrong, and that your parents MAYBE would be within their rights to track your internet use, but that your school is not. Your freedom of expression is far more powerful than any institution's desire to control you, and 14 is the PERFECT age to start learning that the level of freedom you will enjoy in life will be exactly the level you are willing to demand and, if necessary, to fight for. Make it happen.

The school has the right to put that software on your laptop. They also have the right to go after students who post defamatory things about the school online, whether they do that via a school computer or a personal computer. The laws re: free speech don't apply to you in the same way as they do to someone who is not legally a minor. If your school itself has rules about these sorts of things - and in the UK, they quite likely do - then by agreeing to attend that school, you've agreed to follow their rules. Thus you're not as free to say and do whatever you want as you might be as an adult who'd finished school.

The school likely has two issues with the Facebook page your friend posted. 1) He calls the IT department Pedos, which is defamatory, and 2) They probably feel that his Facebook page casts the school in a poor light.

Since your friend created the Facebook page, he can contact Facebook and ask to have it taken down. He should do this in writing, and keep a copy of all his correspondence, as well as what Facebook tells him. He can then present this to the school to show that he's making a genuine effort to get the Facebook page pulled.

In the end, does the school have the right to track your usage of your computers, purchased via the school? They do if you've (actually, your parents) agreed to that, and since it's likely in the paperwork for the computers or for the school, then they do. If you'd like to protest this, then you are truly welcome to do so, and you should - but a Facebook page that calls the ICT department pedos is *not* the way to do that. A Facebook page that does not use such inflammatory language, and does not target the ICT dept since this policy is not their fault...? Maybe. A formal, handwritten petition that you have everyone at school sign, and then submit to school administration while asking for a formal meeting on the subject... Yes.

If you want to tackle this policy, you can; but you have to do it maturely; and that does not involve slurs like "pedos", or accusations (which in effect have been made) that your ICT department is made up of pedophiles. That is defamatory, it's rude, and it's untrue. In the UK, in fact, such accusations, made without any basis in fact, are illegal. So should that page come down? Absolutely. But that doesn't mean that you can't protest the school's policy. You just can't go calling people slurs in a public forum while you do it.

I'd say if it's a school lap top and that's what it's for then use it only for school and what you do on your home computer is your business. However. If the school is making you buy these lap tops then it should be yours to do with as you please. Otherwise the school should be paying for the lap tops. I'm not sure this issue has been tackled in court. I'd say the only valid thing the school should be able to do is tell you not to use certain sites on their school lap tops. They should not be able to punish you for being on a facebook page or in a fb group. Freedom of speech and expression, yeah?

I think they have no legal right to punish any student for something like that. If someone did or said something threatening, like posting "I'm gonna bring a weapon to school tomorrow", then they can, and should, react. But they shouldn't be able to expel a student for joining that group; I know nothing of this group, but I am assuming that it has no ill intentions, but if it does, I do not know what the school can legally do.

im not sure about the laws in the UK. but in the US he has every right to put up that page. it would be against the constitution if the cops and the school make him take it down... so that doesnt really help since your in the UK.

you can also get that software off the laptop. its complicated but its possible.

No,They have no legal right whatsoever to do that,it's blackmail in a way.He could be reffering to anything in a way so don't leave it and if he gets expelled for something as stupid as that he can take the school to court and they could get sewed for it.

By the way it's not hard to uninstall the program.

No. because it silly