Should Teachers Be Banned From Social Networking Sites?
SodaHead News
2011/04/12 11:00:00
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Parents all like to think of their children as little treasures who say and do the darndest things. But when you send those minor miracles out into the world, let’s face it: sometimes they’re jerks. And often at school.
If you think teachers don’t get together in their lounges and talk smack about your kids, well, denial ain’t just a river in Jordan (see, you weren’t paying attention in school either, bonehead!)
But what do you do when teachers take their grievances out in public about their challenging charges? The Huffington Post reported on a growing movement to restrict teachers’ use of social networking sites like Facebook after a rash of recent stories about instructors referring to their students as “future criminals,” “germ bags” or simply admitting that they “hate their guts."
A Boston Globe editorial also wondered if it’s really wise for teachers and students to friend each other on Facebook, since, well, it usually ends up badly. In one case some teachers were fired for doing some virtual flirting with their students online. Others have gotten the boot after posting Facebook pictures cavorting with strippers, another for referring to parents as “snobby and arrogant.”
School boards from Florida to Connecticut are considering new rules to govern the social media activities of teachers, with many districts simply advising their staffs to keep it clean online or risk losing their jobs. All this cracking down has, of course, raised the question of First Amendment protections for both students and teachers, but the bottom line according to some educators is simple: just don’t personally interact with your students online and you won’t have a problem.
Should teachers be banned from social media sites?
If you think teachers don’t get together in their lounges and talk smack about your kids, well, denial ain’t just a river in Jordan (see, you weren’t paying attention in school either, bonehead!)
But what do you do when teachers take their grievances out in public about their challenging charges? The Huffington Post reported on a growing movement to restrict teachers’ use of social networking sites like Facebook after a rash of recent stories about instructors referring to their students as “future criminals,” “germ bags” or simply admitting that they “hate their guts."
A Boston Globe editorial also wondered if it’s really wise for teachers and students to friend each other on Facebook, since, well, it usually ends up badly. In one case some teachers were fired for doing some virtual flirting with their students online. Others have gotten the boot after posting Facebook pictures cavorting with strippers, another for referring to parents as “snobby and arrogant.”
School boards from Florida to Connecticut are considering new rules to govern the social media activities of teachers, with many districts simply advising their staffs to keep it clean online or risk losing their jobs. All this cracking down has, of course, raised the question of First Amendment protections for both students and teachers, but the bottom line according to some educators is simple: just don’t personally interact with your students online and you won’t have a problem.
Should teachers be banned from social media sites?
I've have read many posts that claim the immature, mean and irresponsible behavior of students/minors on networking sites as justification for adult employees of the state to do the same. REALLY!!!!! Have we really reached that low?
And btw, I don't like the idea of my child's teacher "getting on their level". Teachers jobs are to teach and provide role modeling...not to get "down to your level". They are supposed to be helping you rise to their level - and they don't do that through "friendshipping" you - they do it by earning your respect and trust by being excellent teachers - something you may not be familiar with if you go to PSD.
And I laugh at the fact that you had added me prior to this - as if by some chance you were inspired by my "18" year old foolishness. Hah! But don't worry, I deleted you.
Banning teachers from networking would obviously not be possible. But, state wide policies that require the same kind of professional decorum from school teachers as from private sector employees and other state workers is quite reasonable. I work with clients of the state as a contracted service provider. Sometimes they drive me crazy. I would never DREAM of discussing those issues on this site or any other. My clients deserve the sense of safety that confidentiality provides. So do students, who - btw - are minors.
Do you realize the NEA and their lawyers are in the process of trying to make federal laws to protect teacher's rights to say anything they want about their students (as long as it's not "inappropriate" - meaning sexual)?
Now that's ridiculous!!!
Teachers should not be banned from Facebook because it is up to the student to either not care or not do anything to embarrass themselves. I think that there should be an option that makes it so that teachers and/or parents cannot look into or comment on their child's/student's Facebook page. Either that or just don't have a Facebook account.
I am not calling for anyone to be banned from the internet - that is not only un-Constitutional, it is impossible. I am calling for the right of parents to call for and rights of school districts to fire or otherwise penalize teachers who abuse the professional decorum of educators by immaturely ranting and raving about their students on social network sites or who inappropriately friend students over such sites.
Teachers are trained not to touch, hug or become familiar with a student, they aren't allowed to be alone with a student without another adult present, they aren't supposed to seek connection to students outside the classroom - all due to sexual misconduct of teachers in the past. But teachers should be allowed free access to my child on the internet with his/her teacher?!?! I don't think so.
If teachers want to be treated like professionals they should act like professionals. If a lawyer, accountant and/or doctor were to talk smack about a client, more than likely they would be fired by their employer or client. If a plumber talked trash about a customer there's every likelihood that plumber would suffer, professionally. The same should happen to teachers.
FYI...The freedom of speech does not exclude someone from suffering the consequences of exercising their freedom of speech.
US citizens have the freedom of speech by they also have the obligation of responsibly exercising their freedom of speech.
And damn right we talk about your kids. When as many parents as they do use school as daycare—and I am talking about high school here—someone has to look after their best interests. Sometimes we express our opinions in a negative manner. Doing it publicly on facebook is wrong, but I'm sorry, if the rest of the working world can slag off their colleagues, why must teachers be so saintly when we sometimes have to deal with little vagrants?
Or don't you think trust is important to the learning process?
Teaching is a very difficult job as it is without adding to it the emotional garbage of airing your frustrations in public. Get a grip!