Last Nov. 10 (2010) a group of nursing students took a photograph of a human placenta while they were in class on a field trip/ clinical.
You’ll have to read the summary yourself at KC Star and The Pitch. Long story short: photos were taken, and at least one person posted a snap to Facebook, which lead to 5 students’ dismissal from the nursing program and JCCC. According to The Star in the above link, a judge has weighed in on the side of the student, but it seems far from over. The Pitch laid out her dilemma with customary wit:
Unfortunately, “[She] has scheduled an August 12, 2011 wedding in Virginia and has declared her intent to reside in Virginia with her husband next fall and therefore will be unable to resume her education at JCCC at that time,” the lawsuit states.
It might be of small consolation to [her], but if she’s forced to rearrange her wedding plans, it won’t be the first time that matrimony is thwarted by a placenta.
The student pictured at the right claims that if you Google “placenta” now she (and the infamous picture) pops up at the top of the list (she’s 4th now – the link above does it for you). This story has nationwide if not world wide traction and will likely affect her future regardless of how her relationship with the school plays out. The medical community and college communities in general follow these developments with rapt attention.
See the JCCC press release here, and check out the Nursing Department Facebook page here. The Wall Street Journal has also covered this in detail. A young nurse speaks for a generation who has grown up saturated with Facebook here (key words: silly, unaware of consequences).
