Bergen County Student's Anti-Israel Tweets Not Bullying, School Officials Rule

FAIR LAWN, NJ - A high school student's controversial Twitter posts did not constitute bullying, district officials have ruled.

Bethany Koval came under a firestorm of criticism after posting anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian comments on Twitter in December. Her story received worldwide attention.

Koval, 16 said she was reprimanded by school officials for a tweet about Israel that caused a fellow classmate to unfollow her. She criticized the Israeli government in the tweet, but did not release the identity of the "pro-Israel girl who unfollowed me!"

The American Civil Liberties Union represented Koval throughout the case. Referencing a letter Marcella allegedly wrote to Koval and her family, according to the ACLU, the incident did not meet the standard for harassment, intimidation, or bullying under New Jersey state law.

“I am grateful for this ruling that posting my political opinions online was not considered bullying and for the fact that my speech didn’t deserve official censorship,” Koval said in a statement on the ACLU's website. “The manner in which the bullying law was used in my case was not in the spirit of free speech. It’s unfortunate that such a noble law in principle was used to justify something as troubling as chilling students’ speech.”

District Superintendent Bruce Watson could not be reached for comment.

On Jan. 6, Koval was called into the main office where Assistant Principal Frank Guadagnino allegedly showed her a printout of her posts, saying they could get her into trouble at school.

“Principal just called me down. I’m about to be exposed for being anti-Israel,” Koval tweeted before the meeting. “Pray for me.”

According to Koval, Guadagnino coerced her into writing a statement describing the events, despite her objection that she didn’t want to write it without a lawyer present.

Administrators, including Principal James Marcella, reportedly searched Koval’s phone because they thought she might be recording the meeting and told her she could be sued by the Department of Education for doing so.

Koval made her Twitter account private following the story receiving worldwide attention. Her account remains private.

ACLU Senior Staff Attorney Alexander Shalom said that Koval's case is one that shows how the state's anti-bullying law can be "misused to stifle free expression."

"Students shouldn’t have to fear that their thoughts on politics, or anything else, could be taken out of context and have them branded as a bully, especially when the consequences can be so serious.”

Koval's mother Debra, said she was relieved for the investigation to be completed.

“I feel like my daughter’s rights have been vindicated now that she’s no longer under suspicion for being something that’s the opposite of who she is," Debra Koval said in a statement. "I hope the school’s finding sends the message once and for all that expressing your opinions, even when they conflict with deeply held beliefs, is not something that deserves to be punished.”

District Superintendent Bruce Watson said in a statement Thursday that “at no time have District officials sought to censor or reprimand any pupils for their online speech.”

“The Fair Lawn School District recognizes and respects individuals’ First Amendment rights to free speech,” Watson said in January.

Bethany Koval/Twitter