Facebook crackdown on teachers

[chanel]

Teachers could be disciplined or fired for friending students on Facebook and school administrators would be encouraged to comb the Web for cyber-transgressions under a new policy being pitched to Massachusetts districts.

“It’s just an effort to provide an additional measure for kids against inappropriate relationships and sexual harassment,” said Massachusetts Association of School Committees executive director Glenn Koocher of the group’s advisory policy.

The guidelines suggest teachers be axed or disciplined for inappropriate use of social-networking Web sites and include the following recommendations:
# That schools bar teachers from being “friends” with students on sites such as Facebook.
# That teachers be prohibited from giving out their cell phone number to students, posting inappropriate photos with “sexual content” or “advocating use of drugs and alcohol” on Web sites.
# That administrators “periodically conduct Internet searches to see if teachers have posted inappropriate materials online.”

Facebook crackdown in schools - BostonHerald.com

I've given my cell # to a few kids.

Good idea or going too far?

 

[random3434]

I personally think you shouldn't "friend" your students on Facebook.

If you want to give your cell # to a student that you think may need you because they are having troubles at home or at school, and you're the only one they can talk to, shouldn't be a problem, as long as you know you can trust that student not to share that info with other students.

It's a judgement call I guess.

 

[Annie]

Teachers could be disciplined or fired for friending students on Facebook and school administrators would be encouraged to comb the Web for cyber-transgressions under a new policy being pitched to Massachusetts districts.

“It’s just an effort to provide an additional measure for kids against inappropriate relationships and sexual harassment,” said Massachusetts Association of School Committees executive director Glenn Koocher of the group’s advisory policy.

The guidelines suggest teachers be axed or disciplined for inappropriate use of social-networking Web sites and include the following recommendations:
# That schools bar teachers from being “friends” with students on sites such as Facebook.
# That teachers be prohibited from giving out their cell phone number to students, posting inappropriate photos with “sexual content” or “advocating use of drugs and alcohol” on Web sites.
# That administrators “periodically conduct Internet searches to see if teachers have posted inappropriate materials online.”

Facebook crackdown in schools - BostonHerald.com

I've given my cell # to a few kids.

Good idea or going too far?

I'd never 'friend' a kid or a parent. The only times I've given my home phone to a kid, is when I know the parent well enough and their were reasons I wanted the parent to have my number. For example, one parent who was sponsoring a fund raising event that my kids were working on. We had to be able to coordinate, often after 9 pm. That's it.

 

[Dr.Traveler]

Teachers could be disciplined or fired for friending students on Facebook and school administrators would be encouraged to comb the Web for cyber-transgressions under a new policy being pitched to Massachusetts districts.

“It’s just an effort to provide an additional measure for kids against inappropriate relationships and sexual harassment,” said Massachusetts Association of School Committees executive director Glenn Koocher of the group’s advisory policy.

The guidelines suggest teachers be axed or disciplined for inappropriate use of social-networking Web sites and include the following recommendations:
# That schools bar teachers from being “friends” with students on sites such as Facebook.
# That teachers be prohibited from giving out their cell phone number to students, posting inappropriate photos with “sexual content” or “advocating use of drugs and alcohol” on Web sites.
# That administrators “periodically conduct Internet searches to see if teachers have posted inappropriate materials online.”

Facebook crackdown in schools - BostonHerald.com

I've given my cell # to a few kids.

Good idea or going too far?

I don't think its a good idea to friend a student, and I'm teaching college kids. I'm coming around to the idea it's not a good idea to even friend coworkers though.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

I don't think it is every good for adults to have unsupervised relations of any kind with other people's kids.

I think Friending on facebook or being chat buddies is a bad idea.

I think giving the phone number to the parents would be a good idea. And if you have caller ID, make it clear your won't answer the kid's cell, but only calls from the home number that the kid shares with the parents.

I do think being there for the kids when they need assistance is a good thing though.

 

[Middleman]

A teacher in Yakima WA just got acquitted for an inappropriate sexual relationship with a young man, whom she claimed she was trying to help with her many text messages and phone calls. The community thinks she was guilty of something, and she'll most likely never teach again.

On the other hand, kids have their own phones these days, and it's a good way for the teachers to get in touch with them. My daughter's math teacher also coaches cross-country and really wanted her to be on the team since she did so well in track. So, he called her a few times before school started. He's a great guy, a wonderful role model to all the kids, and it was entirely appropriate.

One of the pitfalls of personal cellphones for kids is that parents are no longer aware of who is contacting their child or teenager. Banning all contact by cellphone seems to be an over-reaction, just like all the other zero-tolerance school policies.They seem to be set up to save school administrators from using their brains and common sense.

As far as Facebook, I think that a professional distance is called for in that arena.

 

[del]

Teachers could be disciplined or fired for friending students on Facebook and school administrators would be encouraged to comb the Web for cyber-transgressions under a new policy being pitched to Massachusetts districts.

“It’s just an effort to provide an additional measure for kids against inappropriate relationships and sexual harassment,” said Massachusetts Association of School Committees executive director Glenn Koocher of the group’s advisory policy.

The guidelines suggest teachers be axed or disciplined for inappropriate use of social-networking Web sites and include the following recommendations:
# That schools bar teachers from being “friends” with students on sites such as Facebook.
# That teachers be prohibited from giving out their cell phone number to students, posting inappropriate photos with “sexual content” or “advocating use of drugs and alcohol” on Web sites.
# That administrators “periodically conduct Internet searches to see if teachers have posted inappropriate materials online.”

Facebook crackdown in schools - BostonHerald.com

I've given my cell # to a few kids.

Good idea or going too far?

i think it's a good idea if for no other reason, because it gives teachers an "excuse" not to friend their students. kinda like when you'd tell friends that you'd love to go drinking and breaking windows, but your mean old parents grounded you.

i also think it's a bad idea in general for teachers to participate in facebook with their students-too much potential for bad things to happen which may or may not be the teacher's fault.

phone number is a different story.

 

[Big Black Dog]

I don't do the facebook thing at all. To me, it's just too creapy and it's way to much personal info to be giving out on a web page. Besides, my ego isn't so big that I need to have others continually stroking me.

 

[strollingbones]

facebook is nothing but problems.....i would not friend a student...nor do i see any reason to give a student your cell or home phone...if a parent needs to get in touch with you...he can call the school....i would not engage in afterhours contact that was not a school event...

why in the hell would you give a kid your cell phone..that is simply poor ass judgement in my book

 

[Big Black Dog]

facebook is nothing but problems.....i would not friend a student...nor do i see any reason to give a student your cell or home phone...if a parent needs to get in touch with you...he can call the school....i would not engage in afterhours contact that was not a school event...

why in the hell would you give a kid your cell phone..that is simply poor ass judgement in my book

Good advice. I concur.

 

[editec]

I'm still in touch with some kids that were students of mine decades ago.

And FWIW, I am also friends with a few of the people who were my teachers, too.

What's wrong with that?

 

[masquerade]

I don't do the facebook thing at all. To me, it's just too creapy and it's way to much personal info to be giving out on a web page. Besides, my ego isn't so big that I need to have others continually stroking me.

It's too creepy to you because you haven't used it and seen what it's all about. I've said it before, I'll say it again ... Facebook is only what you the individual make it out to be. As private or as public as YOU want your FB page to be.

With that said, I do believe that teachers should stay clear of 'friending' their students on FB.

 

[del]

I'm still in touch with some kids that were students of mine decades ago.

And FWIW, I am also friends with a few of the people who were my teachers, too.

What's wrong with that?

nothing

 

[chanel]

facebook is nothing but problems.....i would not friend a student...nor do i see any reason to give a student your cell or home phone...if a parent needs to get in touch with you...he can call the school....i would not engage in afterhours contact that was not a school event...

why in the hell would you give a kid your cell phone..that is simply poor ass judgement in my book

I've given it to students whose parents I know. In fact, I will text reminders to one of my students about tests and notebook checks and send a copy to his mom as well. (Although it hasn't been terribly effective thus far )

I also do home instruction and have to meet kids at the library. They are instructed to call if they are late or something. Nothing inappropriate about it.

But the facebook thing? Don't get me started. There are several teachers at my school who "friend" students. I won't even "friend" former ones. I get requests all the time, but I just ignore them. My facebook is so fucking boring that I don't even know why I have one. Except maybe to spy on my kids. (youngin has a new girlfriend - news to me )

 

[strollingbones]

i hope no one else finds it inappro. why cant they just leave a message on your answering machine....
you instruct kids in your home or their home...are you alone with them....

 

[chanel]

No one would find it inappropriate if it wasn't. We don't have any policy against it. Coaches and class advisors have team members numbers. Most home instructors give out their cells. Hell bones - some people don't even have land lines anymore.

Home instructors are not supposed to be home alone with the student, but it happens all the time. I usually meet kids at the library, but I've had some sick students and new teen moms who couldn't leave the house. It's a judgment call and the home instruction is the law. Sued if you go alone; sued if you don't...

 

[bodecea]

I have 'friended' my daughter's friends but only if they have asked and it has helped me find out some things she and they are up to. Besides...I need the Farmville neighbors.

 

[chanel]

Me too bodecea - but only those over 18. But because I censor what I say and don't post anything about politics or my job or partying, etc. it's pretty dang boring. Check this out:

A New Jersey school district suspended a first-grade teacher after parents complained that she had posted derogatory comments about her students on her Facebook page.

The Record newspaper reports that the teacher wrote about feeling like "a warden" and referred to her 6- and 7-year-old students as future criminals.

The teacher, whose name was not disclosed, was removed from the classroom this week after several parents who saw the posts came to Paterson School 21 and asked that their children be removed from her class.

Superintendent Donnie Evans confirmed the suspension on Friday and said the district was investigating. He declined further comment because it was a personnel matter.

He added: "You can't simply fire someone for what they have on a Facebook page, but if that spills over and affects the classroom, then you can take action."

The flap comes just weeks after a high school English teacher from outside Philadelphia was suspended for a profanity-laced blog in which she called her young charges "disengaged, lazy whiners."

And Chicago Public Schools officials are investigating a teacher who apparently posted a photo on her Facebook page of a student who wore Jolly Rancher candies in her hair. The 7-year-old girl's mother complained to school officials after she saw negative comments written about her daughter's picture on the page.

NJ 1st-Grade Teacher Suspended Over Facebook Posts - New Jersey 101.5 FM

For the record: I would never post any comments like that. But it's not because I haven't thought it.

 

[Skull Pilot]

Once out of the classroom or a school sponsored function, teachers should have little or no contact with their students.

Teachers and schools in general are overstepping their bounds when it comes to meddling int he private lives of students.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

I don't do the facebook thing at all. To me, it's just too creapy and it's way to much personal info to be giving out on a web page. Besides, my ego isn't so big that I need to have others continually stroking me.

Same here. I don't do facebook. Employers love looking at employee bios on there. I've seen it happen several times.

No , thanks.