need legal advice

[inSite]

i know this is not maybe the best place but maybe someone can offer a few ideas. basically i went to a private school for my undergrad degree and we have had some major disagreements on the quality and value of the education etc. i want to make a complaint site for this institution and hit them where it hurts. they have a small student body so im sure i can decrease their incoming enrollment for next year with some viral marketing.

my question is what kind of legal stuff are they going to try to pull and how can i protect myself?

[Keith]

if they feel you're significant enough, they'll move for an injunction to shut down whatever site you're on (or have created). It can get very costly for you.

If you're going to do something like this (and I would caution against it), make damn sure you can document/back up every statement of fact, and make sure that your opinions are clearly set forth as such.

GL

[be47320]

keith is right, this is bad idea and will not end well...they arent going to pay to shut you up, you prob will.

[Romanowski]

furman?

[TheLink]

Originally Posted by inSite

i know this is not maybe the best place but maybe someone can offer a few ideas. basically i went to a private school for my undergrad degree and we have had some major disagreements on the quality and value of the education etc. i want to make a complaint site for this institution and hit them where it hurts. they have a small student body so im sure i can decrease their incoming enrollment for next year with some viral marketing.

my question is what kind of legal stuff are they going to try to pull and how can i protect myself?

just out of curiousity how are you judging the value?

[guzzi]

r u in phx...

[grzftbl]

Originally Posted by romanowski

furman?

f u!

[ConstantColorUpor]

I had similar issues during my undergrad, felt paying $150k+ over the 4 years was absolutely ridiculous for various reasons; quality of dorms, classrooms, technology, etc. I started by writing a paper in an English class about my displeasure. I then brought the topic to the board (deans, tenured professors, department heads, president, etc.) and they explained a lot to me, I was still not satisfied and brought the subject to the school paper who allowed me to publish an article to inform other students of everything that happened including the answers many students were looking for. Maybe you should go that route.

[HAMILROCK]

Originally Posted by ConstantColorUpor

I had similar issues during my undergrad, felt paying $150k+ over the 4 years was absolutely ridiculous for various reasons; quality of dorms, classrooms, technology, etc. I started by writing a paper in an English class about my displeasure. I then brought the topic to the board (deans, tenured professors, department heads, president, etc.) and they explained a lot to me, I was still not satisfied and brought the subject to the school paper who allowed me to publish an article to inform other students of everything that happened including the answers many students were looking for. Maybe you should go that route.

this sounds like a better solution...

[inSite]

not not furman

this school has about 2000 students and 95% of them come from within a 50 sq mile radius. if i could get even 10 students to not enroll that would be $200k+ a year in tuition/board they are missing.. i want to hurt them worse than a newspaper. i would never be able to get something in the school paper there anyways

this is about principle and saying what hundreds of other students want to say but dont know how to. when you go to a job interview 10 miles away from the school that costs $80k to attend and the interviewer has never even heard of it. when you have to pay for a meal plan to live on campus and the food makes you sick. when you never have a hot shower. when you get suspended based on one eyewitness testimony and your only other choice is to take a polygraph test and pay the bill if you fail. when your accounting teacher is doped up and you fail the class and you cant appeal the grade. when you withdraw from a class and the teacher loses the slip and you recieve and XF and cant appeal the grade and lose scholarships worth thousands of dollars. when someone makes a bomb threat and the school doesnt report it to the police and lies to the local news to not tarnish the schools image. and these are just a few things that happened to me..

i can see them trying to get the site shut down but how is that going to cost me $? if all i am doing is telling personal stories that actually happened to me and other students i dont see how they have any grounds for lible so how could I not defend myself in court?

i see sites like paypalsucks that have been up forever. surely if they can get away with that i can get away with this site?

[cman]

you could consider applying for a permit and picketing...might get picked up by local news

if all students come within 50 miles this would be far more efficient

wde

[GFootsXtreme]

start a Facebook page or something, isn't that what kids do these days?

[inSite]

Originally Posted by GFootsXtreme

start a Facebook page or something, isn't that what kids do these days?

if i go through with this will be making a Facebook page to go along with the site and sending letters to high school teachers and youth workers in the area to raise awareness. i will go all out

if i wrote a letter of complaint to the school and requested say $100k or else I will make this site would that be considered blackmail or something? because the information i have is not like a secret..

[ConstantColorUpor]

I hate to tell you this insite but the things you explained happen at EVERY college. To me what you have stated give you no grounds to write any negative websites, papers, articles or anything because it seems like nothing more than a sob story which each college student goes through at one time or another. The old "I failed because the teacher hated me" or the teacher was "doped up" excuses went out in the 5th grade. No you failed because you didn't work hard enough. You got suspended because of "one eyewitness account?" Come on lets be serious. IMO it just seems as if you are going about things in a very immature way. If this is nothing more than you being unwilling to take responsibility for your actions and lack of effort, just make personal changes first and if things continue go about the process the correct way. You need to think this through before you go forward with a half thought out smear campaign. Sorry, no offense, but just my opinion from what you have said so far.

[inSite]

Originally Posted by ConstantColorUpor

I hate to tell you this insite but the things you explained happen at EVERY college. To me what you have stated give you no grounds to write any negative websites, papers, articles or anything because it seems like nothing more than a sob story which each college student goes through at one time or another. The old "I failed because the teacher hated me" or the teacher was "doped up" excuses went out in the 5th grade. No you failed because you didn't work hard enough. You got suspended because of "one eyewitness account?" Come on lets be serious. IMO it just seems as if you are going about things in a very immature way. If this is nothing more than you being unwilling to take responsibility for your actions and lack of effort, just make personal changes first and if things continue go about the process the correct way. You need to think this through before you go forward with a half thought out smear campaign. Sorry, no offense, but just my opinion from what you have said so far.

i didnt work hard enough? lol. thats why i asked for advice about the legality of it not if you think i should based on my story.

funny how i did fail 5th grade for my teacher being on drugs. no wait that didnt happen because i have worked hard continuously through my education. i didnt say anybody hated me. the teacher was fired because she blacked out in the mall from taking pills. and the school still wouldnt let us appeal our grades.

yes i was suspended for violations based on one persons testimony. who that person is i do not know. and this happened to 30+ other students the same semester.

if that really happens at all colleges, then those students have just as much right to complain. what else do you pay that kind of $ for and receive that kind of treatment? and believe me it wont be "half thought out" if i do go through with it.