Kansas governor apologizes for 'overreaction' to teen's disparaging tweet

[Spazito]

(CNN) -- Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback apologized Monday for what he called his staff's "overreaction" to a disparaging tweet directed at him by a high school senior during a state Capitol visit.

Emma Sullivan, 18, said late Sunday that a Brownback staffer had notified her school's principal about the tweet, and the principal told her she had to write an apology to the governor. On Monday -- the deadline for the letter, according to the teen -- the Shawnee Mission School District issued a statement stating that "she is not required to write a letter of apology to the governor."

A statement issued by Brownback on Monday did not reference Sullivan by name or mention the prospect of any apology letter. He did emphasize his support for "freedom of speech," while thanking "the thousands of Kansas educators who remind us daily of our liberties, as well as the values of civility and decorum."

"My staff overreacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize," the governor said. "Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms."

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http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/28/us/kansas-high-schooler-tweet/index.html?hpt=hp_c2



Here is a link to Emma Sullivan's school district's response:

snip

"District officials have reviewed recent events surrounding the reported tweet by Shawnee Mission East High School student Emma Sullivan. The district acknowledges a student's right to freedom of speech and expression is constitutionally protected.

"The district has not censored Miss Sullivan nor infringed upon her freedom of speech. She is not required to write a letter of apology to the Governor. Whether and to whom any apologies are issued will be left to the individuals involved.

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Read more: http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_kansas/johnson_county/school-district-responds-to-students-tweet-about-kan-governor#ixzz1f2UUEZHt

[ZombieHorde]

1. High School Girl 1 : Stupid Governor 0 nt

[SemperEadem]

2. as well he should, but he hasn't gone far enough

Sherriene Jones-Sontag needs to be fired for attempting to intimidate, humiliate and harass a high school student by contacting the Youth in Government program and complaining to them in the hopes that they would put pressure on the school to reprimand her. The people of Kansas need to be screaming for her head on a pike. What a breathtaking waste of taxpayer money, not to mention Jones-Sontag attempting to infringe upon the 18 yr old's constitutional rights to her free speech.

[silverweb]

3. Wonderful!

The tables sure did get turned on that thin-skinned, wannabe totalitarian reTHUG!

:rofl:

[Va Lefty]

4. Translation:

This incident has exposed me as the vindictive, petty and mean spirited fascist I am. My image has taken a beating in the media. For that, I am truly sorry.

[demtenjeep]

5. too little

too late

[deucemagnet]

6. This would make more sense if Brownback were a teenage girl, too.

So,like Emma totally doesn't like Sam so she tweeted, "Sam is teh SUXX0RS!!1" and junk, and then Sam's friend Sherri who's like a total stalker sees the tweet and like TOTALLY NARCS on Emma and she even got in trouble at school with the principal who was going to make her apologize which is to totally wrong, but then Emma got like tons of friends on twitter cuz she is TEH AWESOME!!! and Sam had to back down and apologize. Bitch.