Teaching is a noble profession. Not only do teachers have to put in long hours for little pay, but they give up much of their freedom to do so. Of course, I’m not talking about their literal freedom, but rather their digital freedom. To be a teacher is to be a role model to hundreds of children year in and year out. That means that they have to set strict limits on social networking. What would you say at the next parent-teacher conference, if one of your students had found a picture of you on MySpace sipping away at a novelty-sized margarita?
A recent article in the Salt Lake Tribune explored the issue of teachers and social networking, asking whether teachers are unfairly held to a higher standard for their conduct online.
From the article:
One Utah teacher’s personal MySpace page included links to Web sites about homosexual groups.
Another used her MySpace page to complain about students and parents.
A third Utah teacher included pictures of herself drinking.
Were these teachers practicing freedom of speech and expression during their off hours or did they cross a line professionally? In the relatively new realm of social networking, many such questions fall into a gray area. Most Utah school districts don’t have specific policies addressing how teachers, in their free time, may or may not use social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and personal blogs. State educator standards require teachers act as role models and maintain appropriate contact with students, but the standards don’t define exactly what those terms mean.
Some teachers use social networking as an instructional tool, but it can also be a minefield when used by educators in their personal lives. Like many technologies, it has the potential for both good and bad, experts say.
The article goes on to cite specific ways in which teachers manage social networking, namely by keeping it very private.
Is it fair that teachers are held to a higher standard when it comes to social networking? Many would argue no. On the other hand, many would also argue yes. I, for one, would argue that the fairness of the situation is irrelevant. Yes, teachers are role models and should therefore be more aware of the image they are projecting to the world, but isn’t that true of everyone?
Whether we like it or not, we are now living in the age of Google. Thanks to the Internet, any novice web surfer can search your name and the city where you live and, within a few short minutes of digging, probably find some relevant information about you. Why wouldn’t you want to project your best possible image online?
Finding the appropriate balance between your personal life and your digital life is a problem faced by all professionals, not just teachers. What are you doing to ensure that your reputation is protected online?
4 comments ↓
Alot of people get fired and not hired for their online presence.
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