Tweets aimed at principal stir free speech debate

WEST DES MOINES (AP) — A fake Twitter account in the name of West Des Moines Valley High School’s principal that posted anti-Semitic tweets was deleted Tuesday, the principal said.

Principal Jim Mollison said he didn’t know any details about why it was removed or who may have removed it.

Mollison said at first he wasn’t overly concerned with the fake account because he felt messages critical of a decision to ban sexually suggestive dances at school dances were only an attack on him as principal. But when the tweets turned offensive and graphic, he felt it was an attack on his wife and children, who are Jewish.

“I just had extreme concern for my wife and children,” he told The Associated Press. “I expect some form of anonymous criticism in the role I have, but going out to my wife and children is more than I considered.

“It wasn’t even parodying anything,” he said. “They weren’t mocking, they weren’t joking, they aren’t voicing concern about the dance. They were just being blatantly degrading to my wife and children.”

Most of the 94 tweets posted Monday use graphic language or racial remarks. All were accompanied by a picture of Adolf Hitler.

Mollison said he contacted Twitter by email, asking that the account be removed but received a reply back saying the account didn’t violate any of its policies.

“And they sent me resources to deal with bullying,” Mollison said.

Experts said courts are working through exactly what students can and can’t say and do online outside of school, The Des Moines Register reported Tuesday.

Valley students have mixed reaction to the tweets.

Senior Frank Swanson, 17, said he didn’t agree with the tweets but believes whoever is sending them has the right to do it.

“I don’t think he knew what he was doing,” Swanson said of the person sending the tweets. “I don’t know what he’s trying to do, honestly.”

Junior Natalie Liedman, 16, disagreed and thinks Mollison is the focus of the tweets.

“I’m surprised that a student could go that far in making fun of administrators,” she said. “I don’t think it’s appropriate.”