The suit states, Sagehorn’s “conduct in no way constituted threatening, intimidating or assault of a teacher, administrator or other staff member, and any reasonable school official or police officer would understand that to be the case.” Sagehorn’s lawyers contend that his reputation and civil rights were violated. The defendants in the suit are named as the Elk River School District and the Rogers Police Department. The police department is also named because they had investigated Sagehorn for criminal defamation, a felony. No charges were ever filed, but the lawsuit claims that, “Reid Sagehorn’s name is forever linked with the term ‘felony,’ as any Google search can confirm.”
William McGeveran, who is a professor of law at the University of Minnesota Law School had told NBC News that he thinks the school went too far. “This two-word post was foolish and thoughtless and he said he’s sorry — kids do that and they always have,” said McGeveran. “If some of the same story had played out and you took the Internet out of it, I doubt there would have been this same level of concern.” Well if Sagehorn learns anything out of this it’s probably that the sarcasm sometimes isn’t received the same way over the Internet.
