In a world where technology is becoming more and more a part of our daily lives whether personally or professionally, it is imperative that individuals take notice about acceptable use for their profession because failing to do so could cost you your job!
In an article written by Tina Nazerian titled “The Unintentional Ways Schools Might Be Violating FERPA, and How They Can Stay Vigilant”, she highlights some of the most common ways schools and teachers are violating the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and some ways to avoid doing so.
You can read that article here!
As defined by the US Department of Education, FERPA is “a federal privacy law that gives parents certain protections with regards to their children’s education records such as report cards, transcripts, disciplinary records, contact and family information, and class schedules.” All of these things and more are protected under this law and so if schools or teachers mishandle any of this information, there can be serious punishments.
Some things to be cognizant of in the workplace highlighted in Tina Nazerians article include being careful with vendors, knowing when to withhold and release information, and being cautious about what you tell whom. When schools allow in different vendors into their school, they must ensure that any information that vendor collects falls in line with FERPA regulations and that their handling of that information is secure. It is also important that teachers are aware of what type of information the can release about their students. For example, it is unacceptable to speak about a students’ academic standings or behavioral difficulties to any parent besides their own. If teachers are caught telling other parents about a certain student’s issues in the classroom, they could get in serious trouble. Failing to follow these simple rules could cost you your job!
Teachers should take all this into consideration as well on their social media platforms. Teachers who use PLNs (Personal Learning Networks) should ensure they get the permission of the student’s parents before posting any of their work or pictures of the student’s faces online. Teachers who post pictures and information about students on social media are putting those students in danger when they do not request consent from their parents.
Some other tips to avoid trouble online include
- Making your accounts private
- Using different difficult passwords for all social media
- Securing student data on safe sites
- Requesting permission from parents and administrators before making posts about students or the school in general
By failing to do these things or the ones listed above, a teacher can be at risk of getting fired!
If you follow these tips, you can make sure you are being a little more safe with your students’ information and can avoid the possibility of losing your job!
Watch this video to see how to introduce digital citzenship in your classroom and how to keep your students information safe!
Let me know in the comments down below if you have any tips you use in your own personal or professional life to keep your information private and thanks for reading the blog!
