Nassau student suspended over tweet, disciplined for cyberbullying

Walter Baldwin’s daughter Alexyss is back in school after being suspended from class at Yulee High School on Friday.

Baldwin tells Action News Jax, “A coach at the high school for the softball team called my daughter a spoiled rich little (expletive).”

Another coach claimed that’s what was being said about Baldwin’s daughter.

The 17-year-old overheard and she took to social media, posting tweets about the alleged bad-mouthing coach.

“She said that if this woman would have done the workouts with her, then maybe she could have fit in the Mustang and not be jealous of her,” explains Baldwin.

The tweet got the teen suspended for the day.

Baldwin said it wasn’t the school’s place to do that, since the posts weren’t sent during school hours, on school computer or at a school event.

“Actually I’m shocked, because I don’t understand how they can just come in my home … and discipline her,” Baldwin said.

According to the Nassau County School District, under state law, they’re allowed to discipline students for posts on social media, even outside school hours.

The district said the tweet was cyberbullying.

The code of conduct and state law says students can be disciplined for cyberbullying regardless of where or when it’s posted.

Baldwin is worried the punishment will impact his daughter’s future.

“Now when she applies to college, she’s going to have something on her permanent record that says she was teasing or taunting,” Baldwin said.

He believes it’s an issue that should have been handled at home.

The school district is not currently investigating the alleged remarks made by the coach.

The district tells Action News Jax they will open an investigation if they receive concrete evidence of the remarks.

Cox Media Group