Larry Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Wow, the folks at slashdot find all kinds of gems. Link. Teachers can be friendly with their students, but they can’t be their friends, at least when it comes to social networks such as Facebook. State Governor Jay Nixon has signed Senate Bill 54, which goes into effect on August 28, 2011 in the state of Missouri. In other words, later this month it will be illegal for students and teachers to be friends online, according to KSPR.Senate Bill 54 is dubbed the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act, which aims to fight inappropriate contact between students and teachers, including protecting children from sexual misconduct by their educators. It is named after a Missouri public school student who was repeatedly molested by a teacher several decades ago. The Bill strengthens rules against schools that fail to report sexual abuse of students by employees, but at the same time it also adds other requirements, such as the social networking component. Hey, maybe we should make it illegal for parents to be facebook friends with their children, too. You know, to prevent incest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Senate Bill 54 is dubbed the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act, which aims to fight inappropriate contact between students and teachers, including protecting children from sexual misconduct by their educators. It is named after a Missouri public school student who was repeatedly molested by a teacher several decades ago. So named after someone molested decades before Facebook even existed. If it's all about Facebook you'd think they'd relate it to someone molested after contact via Facebook. Doesn't matter either way, I understand they are trying to protect the kids, although I don't think there's anything that will make them 100% safe. The predators will find their prey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IONTOP Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 BFD... The school district here has the same policy... It's a good policy from the teacher's standpoint because it's kind of awkward to get friend requests from your students... And I agree with keeping the teaching away from the person. (My old roommate is a HS History teacher) The justification just seems wrong... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_e_b Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Seems like a pretty good idea. Many of my teachers had Facebook, but most of them refused to add us as friends until we graduated. Just sounds like common sense to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQCOWBOY Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 There have been at least 4 sexual events here in the local school system which have been facilitated by interaction on social media sites. I can see both sides of it. You can't protect our young by trying to cut them off from these kinds of sites but it is also true that as a teacher, you really don't need to be having students as facebook friends. There are school websites that are set up to get information distributed electronically. It only puts the teacher and the school in danger of being drawn into something IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lombardi's_kid_brother Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 It's a great idea but a poor stated jusitification. My mom was a teacher for 35 years and complained a lot over the last five years that teachers were "too close" to their students. And not in any kind of sexual way. Just that they interacted like peers instead of pupil-student. My mom had a million kids who loved her and kept in touch with her over the years, but she was always a teacher and "Mrs. LKB's Mom." She was never their pal. I remember her throwing away a beer at a picnic once because one of her students was there. It's sort of hard to keep that type of relationship if a 15 year old can scroll through the pictures of you drunk at a Kenny Chesney concert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destructis Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 I have no problem with it. I feel that it's some added protection for the teachers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissU28 Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Nothing wrong with this. I do not allow my students to be my fb friends when they are my current students. I also would not allow any student at the school I taught at last year be my friend until they graduated 8th grade. Even still, I pick and choose who I will accept. Since I will be back teaching elementary this year, I will definitely not allow my students onto my page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticksboi05 Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 BFD... The school district here has the same policy... It's a good policy from the teacher's standpoint because it's kind of awkward to get friend requests from your students... And I agree with keeping the teaching away from the person. (My old roommate is a HS History teacher)The justification just seems wrong... How is it awkward. Wouldn't you rather teachers and students have good relationships? That said, who cares, don't think any students will be crying over it. ---------- Post added August-2nd-2011 at 03:35 PM ---------- I would assume that most teachers would be able to keep it ethical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 [/color]I would assume that most teachers would be able to keep it ethical. There are many that are able to keep things ethical,it is a small minority that make rules and laws necessary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQCOWBOY Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 How is it awkward. Wouldn't you rather teachers and students have good relationships? That said, who cares, don't think any students will be crying over it. ---------- Post added August-2nd-2011 at 03:35 PM ---------- I would assume that most teachers would be able to keep it ethical. Don't you think that teachers should have the chance to have an adult facebook page as well? If you are friends with your students, that seems as if it would be pretty hard to do. It's a two way street. You assume that most teachers would be able to keep it ethical but would you make that same assumption for kids? It puts the teachers and the school system at risk IMO. Seems like it's the best for all parties concerned to adopt these kinds of protective measures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 What's next? No signing yearbooks? :evilg: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticksboi05 Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 There are many that are able to keep things ethical,it is a small minority that make rules and laws necessary Agreed and I doubt most kids will lose sleep over it. Back in 8th grade our math teacher gave us her AIM SN if we had HW questions. Something like that is more practical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 BTW - here is the actual section of the bill that speaks of the social networking... SECTION 162.069 - By January 1, 2012, every school district must develop a written policy concerning teacher-student communication and employee-student communications. Each policy must include appropriate oral and nonverbal personal communication, which may be combined with sexual harassment policies, and appropriate use of electronic media as described in the act, including social networking sites. Teachers cannot establish, maintain, or use a work-related website unless it is available to school administrators and the child's legal custodian, physical custodian, or legal guardian. Teachers also cannot have a nonwork-related website that allows exclusive access with a current or former student. Former student is defined as any person who was at one time a student at the school at which the teacher is employed and who is eighteen years of age or less and who has not graduated.By January 1, 2012, each school district must include in its teacher and employee training a component that provides information on identifying signs of sexual abuse in children and of potentially abusive relationships between children and adults, with an emphasis on mandatory reporting. Training must also include an emphasis on the obligation of mandated reporters to report suspected abuse by other mandatory reporters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbo Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 I support the policy, but as a matter for appropriate ethical boundaries, not based on the premise in the article. Teachers aren't the only profession addressing such a matter. Other professional ethics committees have advised against such "friends" type relationship/contact on social networks when there is a professional role/boundary put in potential conflict (including contact with other adults in some cases--like a psychiatrist/psychologist and a client). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQCOWBOY Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 I support the policy, but as a matter for appropriate ethical boundaries, not based on the premise in the article. Teachers aren't the only profession addressing such a matter. Other professional ethics committees have advised against such "friends" type relationship/contact on social networks when there is a professional role/boundary put in potential conflict (including contact with other adults in some cases--like a psychiatrist/psychologist and a client). It's true. Recently, an employee, who had a facebook account, filed suite against her employer. She claimed that she had posted unflattering information about her boss and that her boss had read it. Based on that, she claims that he fired her. She got her job back and was actually promoted because she could no longer work in the same area she had before. Because the only available area represented an increase in pay, she received an increase. There is no proof that her claim is factual but, there was also no proof that it was not. As a result, the company decided to resolve the issue by giving her her job back. Forget about the things she posted about her boss and the company. I think it's wise to distance yourself because you can't know how it might come back on you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 It's sort of hard to keep that type of relationship if a 15 year old can scroll through the pictures of you drunk at a Kenny Chesney concert. Then maybe they should prohibit teachers from posting pictures of themselves drunk at a Kenny Chesney concert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 i'll never understand why teachers friend students on facebook. there really is no good end result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 Because the student who wants to meet a teacher on Facebook, is a student who wants to talk to an adult he can trust? (Or he's a brown-noser who wants to suck up. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Because the student who wants to meet a teacher on Facebook, is a student who wants to talk to an adult he can trust? (Or he's a brown-noser who wants to suck up. ) i forgot when facebook was created, all other forms of communication ceased to exist. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticksboi05 Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 i forgot when facebook was created, all other forms of communication ceased to exist. lol Who wants to call their teacher? Email works though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 i forgot when facebook was created, all other forms of communication ceased to exist. lol 1) Funny, you didn't point that out to the people endorsing the law. 2) The law prohibits all other forms of communication, too. Teachers cannot establish, maintain, or use a work-related website unless it is available to school administrators and the child’s legal custodian, physical custodian, or legal guardian. Teachers also cannot have a nonwork-related website that allows exclusive access with a current or former student. I will point out that ES fits that description. (Because it permits private messaging.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Who wants to call their teacher? Email works though. so does, you know, actual talking. i know it's a dying art. ---------- Post added August-2nd-2011 at 04:24 PM ---------- 1) Funny, you didn't point that out to the people endorsing the law. as usual, you've assumed my stance despite the fact that i haven't stated it. i'm not usually in favor of making laws on these types of things. let idiots be idiots and deal with consequences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 as usual, you've assumed my stance despite the fact that i haven't stated it. No, I simply observed that you chose to quote the only post in the thread which didn't support the law, so you could make a patronizing comment, of an obvious fact, which had no relevance to the post you quoted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticksboi05 Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 so does, you know, actual talking. i know it's a dying art.---------- Post added August-2nd-2011 at 04:24 PM ---------- as usual, you've assumed my stance despite the fact that i haven't stated it. i'm not usually in favor of making laws on these types of things. let idiots be idiots and deal with consequences. Ok, I assumed we were talking about contacting your teacher when you need to outside of school when you cannot talk face to face... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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