GHS Volleyball Games Oct 1 to Benefit Foster Hope

By Claudia Loucks

Geneseo Current

The Geneseo High School girls’ volleyball teams are encouraging members of the community to attend their volleyball games on Thursday, Oct. 1, and support their Charity Match Fundraiser to benefit Foster Hope in Atkinson.

Seniors on the varsity team: in back from left, Leah Falk, Megan Hursman, Brooklyn Ruby, Mia Balensiefen, Sydney Rosas, Bella Brown; in front, Brylee Sheffler, Lillian Brown, MeKenna Johnson and Mckenzie Air. Photo by Claudia Loucks

The event, which includes a junior varsity game at 5 p.m. and a varsity matchup at 6 p.m. in the main GHS gym, will include a variety of baked items offered for sale and a toy drive to help support area children in foster care. Those who attend the games Thursday also may donate a toy to be used for the Foster Hope Sibling Shopping event in December. The GHS freshman volleyball team plays at 5 p.m. Thursday in the athletic facility, directly north of the high school building. Geneseo will host the Sterling volleyball teams.

Lola Rahn, who with her husband, Ryan Rahn, founded Foster Hope in April of 2017. Foster Hope is a 501 c3 non-profit organization that supports foster families in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas. They rely on donations and sponsors for the many events and activities held for foster care families. For more information, email fosterhopeqc@gmail.com.

Foster Hope currently serves families in Henry, Rock Island, Mercer and Whiteside counties.

Can Schools Discipline Students for What They Do Outside School?

by Sarah DeMaranville

The Geneseo Current

Social media, group chats and weekend conflicts can spill into the classroom — but schools’ authority has limits.

A social media post made from a student’s bedroom. A text sent on a Saturday night. An argument at a private gathering. A group chat that erupts over the weekend.

None of this may happen inside a school building.

But by Monday morning, screenshots may be circulating, students may be confronting one another, and administrators may be hearing from concerned parents.

So when does something that happens outside school become a school concern?

There is no single rule. Public schools have responsibilities involving student safety, access to education, and school operations. Students also retain constitutional rights when they are away from school.

When off-campus activity reaches school

Something that happens away from school can become relevant to administrators when it begins affecting what happens at school.

That could include threats, confrontations, absences, interruptions to instruction, or interference with a student's ability to participate in school. Officials may also consider whether students or employees were targeted or whether an athletic team, school organization, account, or device was involved.

Safety concerns are among the clearest examples. Threats against students or employees, information about possible weapons or planned violence, or other credible concerns may require a school response even when the original communication occurred elsewhere.

That response could include a safety assessment, contacting parents, student support, or law enforcement. But responding to a safety concern and disciplining a student for the underlying speech are separate questions.

Bullying can cross into school

Illinois law also addresses cyberbullying, including electronic communication that affects students.

Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, Illinois' definition of cyberbullying includes certain unauthorized digital replicas, sometimes broadly described as deepfakes, when their distribution produces effects covered by the state's bullying law.

But not every rude comment, online disagreement or argument between students qualifies as bullying.

Schools must consider the circumstances, applicable law and district policies.

What counts as disruption?

The U.S. Supreme Court has long recognized that public-school students have First Amendment rights.

In the 1969 case Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, the Court also recognized that schools may regulate student expression in certain circumstances involving substantial disruption of schoolwork or interference with the rights of others.

That makes what actually happens at school important.

Did classes have to be interrupted? Did students confront one another? Did someone stay home because of safety concerns? Did the incident interfere with a school activity?

Simply being offensive, unpopular, or upsetting does not automatically establish the kind of disruption that allows a public school to restrict otherwise protected speech.

The Supreme Court addressed off-campus social media

The Supreme Court considered the issue more directly in 2021 in Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L.

The case involved a student who posted vulgar comments about her school and cheerleading team on Snapchat while away from school on a weekend. The school suspended her from the junior varsity cheerleading squad.

The Supreme Court ruled in the student's favor.

But the Court did not say schools can never address off-campus speech. Instead, it emphasized that schools generally have less authority over students when they are away from campus and outside school supervision.

The Court also identified circumstances where schools can retain an important interest, including serious bullying or harassment, threats against students or teachers, violations involving schoolwork or online school activities, and breaches of school security.

Geneseo district points to existing policies

Asked how Geneseo CUSD #228 approaches student conduct outside school, Superintendent Dr. Laura Delgado referred The Geneseo Current to existing district policies and student-parent handbooks.

“At this time, the district has no specific comment regarding your questions,” Delgado said. “Instead, we refer you to our existing Board policies and student-parent handbooks, which outline the applicable expectations, procedures, and responsibilities related to student conduct, safety, technology use, bullying and harassment, extracurricular activities, and other relevant matters.”

Delgado said individual circumstances matter.

“Every situation is unique and must be considered based on its individual facts and circumstances. When concerns arise, we commit to thoughtfully and carefully reviewing the circumstances, considering student well-being, safety, educational access, school operations, and the applicable policies and legal requirements.”

What parents and students should know

An incident happening outside school does not automatically put it beyond a school's concern. But something affecting school also does not automatically give administrators unrestricted authority to discipline students for off-campus conduct.

When a situation spills into school, families can preserve complete messages, screenshots, dates, and other context. Immediate safety concerns should be reported promptly.

If discipline is being considered, families can ask which district policy applies, what connection the school believes exists between the conduct and school, and what complaint or appeal procedures are available.

Ultimately, the circumstances matter: what happened, where it happened, who was affected, what happened at school as a result, which policies and laws apply, and what response the school proposes.

More Theme Dress Days at GHS for Homecoming Week

By Claudia Loucks

Geneseo Current

Geneseo High School students and staff kept the Theme Dress Days alive during 2026 Homecoming Week festivities. This year’s homecoming theme is “Mardi Gras.”

Photos from:

• Wednesday -Sept. 9 – Country vs. Country Club Day

• Thursday - Sept. 10 – Generations Day:

  • Seniors dress as Senior Citizens

  • Juniors dress as Middle School students

  • Sophomores dress as Toddlers

  • Freshmen dress as Babies

The coronation of the homecoming court will take place at the homecoming dance on Saturday, Sept. 12, in the school gym.

The homecoming parade will be at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11, starting at Geneseo City Park and traveling north through downtown on State Street and to the high school. The varsity football game (Geneseo vs. Moline) will be at 7 p.m. after the frosh-soph game at 5 p.m.