Nursing students kicked out of community college for Facebook placenta photo
In a case that could set legal precedent regarding the impact of social media activities on your academic and ultimately professional prospects, students at a Kansas community college were removed from the nursing program at a community college after posting gross but relatively benign pictures of themselves to Facebook, posing with a human placenta.
22-year-old Doyle Byrnes is now seeking an injunction against the college that booted her from her nursing classes after the school administration learned of the photo.Per a filing in US District Court in Kansas, Byrnes- who was in good standing academically- was at an off-site visit to Olathe Medical Center November 10th under the tutelage of instructor Amber Delphia. There were seven students present, and one requested permission to take the photos with the express purpose of posting them on Facebook. Delphia did not object:
Delphia, according to the lawsuit, merely said, “Oh, you girls,” and did not tell them not to do it or that it could result in discipline.
Four of the girls posed with the placenta, and the patient from which it came was in no way identifiable in the images. Byrnes had the image up as her profile picture for approximately three hours before Delphia called her and requested she remove it. Byrnes asked if she was in trouble, and Delphia told her that she was not. The following day, Byrnes received a letter from the program barring her return to classes.
“Your demeanor and lack of professional behavior surrounding this event was considered a disruption to the learning environment and did not exemplify the professional behavior that we expect in the nursing program,” Jeanne Walsh, director of nursing at the college, wrote in a letter to Byrnes that is included as an exhibit with the complaint.
Byrnes is hoping to get a “temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction” allowing her to return when classes resume on January 19th. She has since deleted her Facebook account.
