Student Given Detention For Using Firefox [UPDATED]

An anonymous reader writes "Several sites are reporting that a student has been given detention for using Firefox to do his classwork. No, really. The student was in class, working on an assignment that necessitated using a browser. The teacher instructed him to stop using Firefox and to do his classwork, to which the student responded that he was doing his classwork using a 'better' browser (it is unclear whether the computer was the student's own computer or not). The clueless teacher (who called the rogue program 'Firefox.exe') ordered him to detention." Update: 12/17 20:09 by SM One of the school officials was nice enough to contact us and let us know this is a hoax. If you are planning on calling the school please refrain from doing so, I'm sure they have had enough excitement for one day.

OSS is evil.

[jez9999]

The teacher was right. We have to stop this communism right here, right now!

Ah.

[Stanistani]

I think we can all safely jump to conclusions here and make some truly insane comments - GO!

Some things never change

[ComaVN]

Haha, reminds me of how I got yelled at by an irate "computer-science" teacher ages ago, for breaking a monitor (ie. turning it off with the big red power button on the front)

at least not opera

[Soleen]

I wonder would he get an A from music teacher for using Oepra?

Entirely appropriate.

[Anonymous Coward]

The important thing was that the student was not being entirely subservient and obedient to authority. Our school system *exists* to put a stop to this kind of behavior. I applaud the actions of the teacher, and hope they follow through with maximum severity.

What's New

[fumanchu32]

Given the context in which this story is presented, the teacher is quite ignorant. Granted, there is probably a lot more going on than what is in the story. Even so, I was given detention for talking in Calculus one day. The problem... I was at home sick. Needless to say it was easy to get out of.

Re:Ah.

[Praedon]

Clearly this teacher is the sister of the cousin of the butcher of the brother of the nephew of the aunt of the brother of the friend of the half brother of the sister-in-law of the cousin of the friend of the friend of Bill Gates....

Re:detention for disobedience

[Hes Nikke]

this is slashdot, we don't use logic here. for that you need to go to.... um... not the internet!

What's the Problem?

[Smordnys s'regrepsA]

No, I've decided I'm not going to get on the school bus to go to the field trip. I met this awesome guy in the bathroom of the mall and I'm going with him in his car instead

...but, some of my best field trips started like that!

Re:so what?

[dougmc]

And you should always do what you're told, even if it sounds like, or is, not the best option? Baaaa, I will obey, baaaa.

Well, that IS what high school is meant to be like. We don't let people think for themselves until at least college.

Re:OSS is evil.

[elrous0]

Exactly, schools aren't there to teach creativity, they're supposed to teach conformity and acceptance. And I damn sure want to keep it that way because I'm creative, I like my job security, and I need schools to churn out people to fix my plumbing so I don't have to crawl around under my house. I would hope my fellow /.ers would feel the same.

********* is a hero

[The Fun Guy]

After having read that detention report, all I have to say is that ******** is a hero for trying to use an OSS browser. ******** deserves a pat on the back, not detention. If more people emulated ********'s example, then they, like ********, would see how much better it is. And to ********'s parents, I say, "You should be proud of ********! ******** should wear this detention like a badge of honor!"

Congratulations, ********!

Also, the teacher, "P. Bealmear" is obviously a certain "S. Ballmer" doing a sabbatical in a high school. I see you, Steve!

Re:authority figure is a moron

[aztektum]

Where, pray tell, is this place known as "Idiocity"?

Or did you mean idiocy?

it's in Illinois

[name_already_taken]

Where, pray tell, is this place known as "Idiocity"?

According to Google Maps it's at the Art Institute of Chicago [google.com]

Idiocity

[rk]

Where, pray tell, is this place known as "Idiocity"?

It's on the Potomac River, about 100 miles upstream from the Chesapeake Bay.

Clueless teachers...

[Bert64]

I witnessed a kid in my class being given a detention, for "trying to break the school computers".
He was using keyboard shortcuts, instead of going through the slow laborious way the teacher had shown the class.

a better response

[nomadic]

If you are planning on calling the school please refrain from doing so, I'm sure they have had enough excitement for one day.

If you were planning on calling the school, then WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH YOU? What possible purpose does that serve? There is no legitimate train of thought that should lead to the decision "I SHOULD CALL THEM."

Re:OSS is evil.

[FireFury03]

If every kid comes out of school creative and motivated to do great things, where are we going to get people to do all the shit jobs that no one wants to do?

Prison?

No, we can't do that - it would be against the murderer's human rights to put him to work in a shitty job...

Next on Slashdot...

[tm2b]

... we'll have a big internet furor over whether a child was unfairly sent to their room. We'll start out assuming that the child was correct when they detail it as "no fair!"

Re:Yes I have. Many times.

[Tastecicles]

"Treat them with respect and they'll treat you with respect."

You're not a parent, are you?