The Honorable Mark R. Kravitz '72, United States District Judge, spoke on "Constitutional Decision Making at the Forefront of Technology: How Courts Decide Cases Where There is Little Guidance" as part of Wesleyan’s Constitution Day Sept. 17.
Richard Adelstein, professor of economics, introduced Judge Kravitz to the audience. Prior to being appointed Judge in 2003, Kravitz was a partner at the law firm of Wiggin & Dana, LLP, where he worked for nearly 27 years, most recently as the Chair of the firm's Appellate Practice Group. Judge Kravitz has served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law and a Lecturer in Law at the Yale University Law School, and as a Senior Fellow in Law at the University of Melbourne Graduate School of Law, in Melbourne, Australia.Kravitz focused his talk on student social networking, the First Amendment and the ability of schools (particularly high schools) to discipline student behavior that occurs on social networks. The conduct at issue can range from cyberbullying other students, to defamation of students or teachers, to overt threats against students or teachers, to disruptive speech directed at fellow students or teachers. Kravitz explained that the Supreme Court has not yet addressed student speech occurring on social networks and outside of school grounds on the Internet. He welcomed members of the audience to ask questions and comment. The Friends of Wesleyan Library sponsored the event. (Photos by Emily Brackman ’11)
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