of student given detention for using firefox in class

Boy given detention for using Firefox in class: A student was caught by a teacher using Firefox. Teacher doesn't know what firefox is (even spells it Foxfire in the report). Is this real of fake?

Today in class [DELETED] had a program launched called Foxfire.exe. I had told [DELETED] to close the program and to resume work but he told me that it was just a different browser and that he was doing his work. I had given him two warnings but he insisted that it was just a "better" browser and that he wasn't doing anything wrong. I had then issued his detention."

[via Tech Digest and Digital Daily]

Update: Big Spring School District confirms that this is a hoax. Thanks Elia Diodati.

Recently, a file was uploaded to the Internet purporting to be a copy of a letter from Big Spring High School to a student regarding a two hour detention. The uploaded letter was an altered version of a detention letter sent to a student. Unfortunately, privacy concerns prevent the School District from giving a full explanation of the nature and source of the letter’s alteration at this time. The Big Spring School District does have confirmation that the discipline letter was altered. The reports, blogs and other sources on the Internet indicating that a Big Spring student was assigned detention for using the Firefox internet browser instead of Internet Explorer are untrue and were based on the fake letter. Detention is assigned in our schools after appropriate warnings are given. If students continue to engage in non-academic activities or fail to follow a teacher’s directive during class time, discipline can and will be assigned.

Sincerely yours,
John C. Scudder
High School Principal