As if this generation needs more reason to think before posting on social media. Yes, we need to be careful with the words, pictures and videos we post because they live on the Internet forever. But what happens when your Facebook status costs you $80,000?
Sixty-nine-year-old Patrick Snay was the former head of Gulliver Prepatory School, a private school in Miami, Fla. In 2010, Snay filed a complaint for age discrimination after the school refused to renew his contract. In 2011, Snay won the case, and came to an agreement that the school would pay him $80,000, as well as $10,000 back pay and $60,000 for his attorneys.
Unfortunately, every single dollar just within Snay’s grasp was taken back. His daughter, Dana Snay, immediately posted a status on Facebook that read, “Mama and Papa Snay won the case against Gulliver. Gulliver is now officially paying for my vacation to Europe this summer. SUCK IT.”
Snay’s status was viewable to all 1,200 of her Facebook friends, the majority alumni and current students at Gulliver Prepatory School. Word of her status spread quickly, and was brought to the attention of the school officials.
According to CNN, the school sent out a letter just a few days after, stating that he had broken an agreement of confidentiality in the agreement he signed, which meant he would not be receiving any of the money he won fair and square.
Snay knew his daughter had some idea of what was going on between him and the school. Regardless, their daughter would have found out eventually. It doesn’t mean she needed to broadcast it to the world.
A hearing was held to help figure out if the daughter’s status and knowledge violated the contract. The court ruled that the daughter actually did break the confidentiality agreement.
According to CNN, the court wrote out how it was violated: “Snay violated the agreement by doing exactly what he had promised not to do. His daughter then did precisely what the confidentiality agreement was designed to prevent, advertising to the Gulliver community that Snay had been successful in his age discrimination and retaliation case against the school.”
Luckily, Snay is now in a new position as headmaster at Riviera Preparatory School, another private school located in Coral Gables, Fla. We should all take the opportunity to learn from Snay’s mistake. Next time you or a family member are about to receive money, whether it be from a court deal or the lottery, it’s probably a good idea not to post it on the Internet.