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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Internet Prankster Prepares For College Aclu, School District Trying To Negotiate A Settlement

Associated Press

A high school senior who made headlines when a cyberspace prank cost him a shot at a National Merit Scholarship is preparing for his first semester at college.

But the legal controversy sparked by Paul Kim’s homepage on the Internet is far from over.

It began in May, when administrators at Newport High School discovered Kim had created a spoof of his high school’s newspaper on his home computer. The unofficial creation, which could be accessed by others on the Internet, noted satellite sex sites that could be perused by scanning through the homepage.

The principal responded by retracting the school’s recommendation of Kim for a National Merit Scholarship and college admissions. The action gained nationwide attention and caused a firestorm of debate over free speech and the reach of a school’s authority.

Kim, who says he’s not very computer literate, is now gearing up for the start of his freshman year at Columbia University in New York, where he plans to major in chemistry.

“Columbia is supportive, and they’re glad I’m coming to their school,” Kim said.

Meanwhile, lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union are working with the school district in hopes of negotiating a settlement, said Kim’s attorney, Lucy Helm.

At issue are First Amendment and due-process rights, Helm said.

Kim said there has been some suggestion of monetary compensation, but that he’s more interested in an apology.

“If a decision is made in our favor, it should send the message that the district - or any district - shouldn’t mess with a student who is working on his own resources on his own time,” Kim said.