Penn. Principal Sues Students Over Defamatory Fake MySpace Profiles
HERMITAGE, Pa. – A high school principal is suing four former students for posting fake MySpace.com profiles accusing him of smoking marijuana, keeping beer at school and having sex with students.
Former Hickory High School co-principal Eric Trosch claims three separate faux profiles of him were created on the social networking Web site by former students Justin Layshock, Thomas Cooper and Brendan and Christopher Gebhart. The profiles alleged that he smoked marijuana, he kept a keg of beer behind his desk, his favorite movie was pornographic, he would have sex with students and he would brutalize women.
Now a principal at nearby Hermitage Middle School, Trosch alleges in the lawsuit that the profiles damaged his reputation, humiliated him and negatively affected his earning capacity.
After all students were suspended for the pranks, Layshock sued the school district claiming his profile was protected under the free speech rights of the First Amendment. A judge later declined to have the school remit the student.
Trosch’s attorney says the creator of a fourth MySpace profile containing “the most graphic and lurid” material of the group is still unknown.
If you appreciated this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!
Related Content
Leading in Turbulent Times: Effective Campus Public Safety Leadership for the 21st Century
This new webcast will discuss how campus public safety leaders can effectively incorporate Clery Act, Title IX, customer service, “helicopter” parents, emergency notification, town-gown relationships, brand management, Greek Life, student recruitment, faculty, and more into their roles and develop the necessary skills to successfully lead their departments. Register today to attend this free webcast!
