MySpace. Facebook. Twitter. People are using social networks to connect with old friends, distant relatives, and search for jobs. People from high school who have not spoken in 10 years friend request an old classmate they spoke maybe two words at during Freshman English. Your mom's-cousin's-boyfriend's dog walker who you never met wants to be friends just because Facebook suggests you connect. You know where your middle school crush is becuase he or she Tweets his or her whereabouts every hour on the hour. So, who do you really need in your network? Well, if you are a teacher, the young minds you mold could possibly think they belong on your friends' list.
According to HLN news, three New York City teachers have recently been fired due to friending students on Facebook. In one case, a teacher was making sexual comments to a student about the student's Facebook pictures. Teachers are professionals, who also serve as role models to students of all ages. Does a teacher really want school age children knowing what he or she didover the weekend? Even if it was a tame Saturday night, it doesn't need to be discussed by ten year olds playing kickball at recess.
So, where do school districts draw the line on social networking outside school grounds? First, school disricts need a written policy that bans students and teachers from being friends on social networks. A teacher is not the students' friend in school, nor should he or she be a child's friend off hours. Next, teachers need to start acting like professionals. A simple, "I do not accept friend requests from students, but look forward to seeing you during the school day" is a firm but fair reply to little Suzy. Finally, if a teacher (who most likely at least 23 years old) has to accept middle school students into his or her social network, maybe friending mom's-cousin's boyfriend's dog walker isn't such a bad idea.
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