It’s no secret that technology has taken over schools all over the world. It offers extraordinary benefits to a classroom, as it allows students an entirely new and interesting way to interact. Realistically in today’s society, a majority of people own some kind of smart device, including students and teachers, and have access to one or more social media accounts. It’s important for teachers and school faculty to be mindful of how they utilize these tools as many schools have strict policies regarding technology and the use within and outside of school.
Posting About Work
It’s common for a lot of workplaces, not just schools, to have policies about posting to social media regarding work. It’s not comments like, “I’m having a stressful day at work today!”, but more so comments that threaten the reputation of the school or business. According to Social Networking Nightmares by Mike Simpson, one teacher was immediately terminated for posting a Facebook status that read, “I’m teaching at the most ghetto school in Charlotte”. A post like this is unprofessional, insensitive and unforgiving to come from a teacher, as not only does it violate everything an educator stands for but shames the district and those who attend.
Photographs
Just like anyone else, teachers often share their lives on social media. As this is perfectly fine, it’s important that teachers keep their photos PG. Regardless of the innocence intended by the picture, it’s better to be safe than sorry. In this specific situation, a teacher had photographs of her on Facebook from a trip to Europe in 2009. In two of those pictures, she was holding alcoholic beverages and a parent filed a complaint to the school board. She lost her job even though those photos were from several years prior and the woman was at the legal drinking age! According to the article, officials claimed her Facebook page “promoted alcohol use” and “contained profanity”.
Contact With Students
Having any kind of contact with students outside of the school’s resources is a massive no no. There should be no reason to be communicating with a student outside of the classroom, email and school provided web links. This is a universal restriction for teachers as it should go without saying. If a student were to ever reach out to a teacher on social media the teacher should immediately report the incident to keep themselves out of trouble. For instance, Brian Irwin was instantly terminated from his art teaching position in Ohio for failing to follow a directive that he reframe from having social media contact with a student.
Tips For Staying Safe Online
- Don’t post anything regarding work! You never know what can be taken out of context, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
- Steer clear from following students AND parents on social media.
- Make sure you’re comfortable with your privacy settings, try to go with the option where only your posts are visible to friends.
- Be mindful of the photos and captions you post! You’re supposed to be viewed as a role model to students in and out of school.
Thank you for reading my second blog post! Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!