Wow, it’s hard to imagine a more idiotic or wrong-headed school policy than this one. At Pope John XIII Regional High School, principal McHugh decided that students should not have blogs, and have threatened those who oppose the ban with suspension.

The primary impetus behind the ban is to protect students, McHugh said. The Web sites, popular forums for students to blog about their lives and feelings about their teachers and schools, are fertile ground for sexual predators to gather information about children, he said.

Can anyone else spot the irony of this statement? Anyone?

Said EFF attorney Kevin Bankston:

“It’s an incredible overreaction based on an unproven problem,” Bankston said. “If they’re concerned about safety, they could train students in what they should or shouldn’t put online. Kids shouldn’t be robbed of the primary communication tool of their generation.”

Amen.