Ohio Teachers And Online Social Networking
In October the Ohio Education Association (OEA) sent out a memo to all of its members, warning them of the potential danger to their career by participating in online social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace. Your Association followed OEA’s lead, warning members about the pitfalls of online social networking sites in this edition (pdf) of The CEA Voice.
In mid-November, the Columbus Dispatch examined teacher online behavior in this recent article, and the combined effect of the OEA memo and the Dispatch article prompted a flurry of blog posts from across the world.
Click on the jump below to read what non-CEA members have written across the blogosphere about this emerging threat to teachers.
This college student has started a discussion about teachers posting online.
Ars Technica blogs thoughtfully about teachers online.
C-Notes has a tongue in cheek post about teacher use of Myspace.
Self-described “Online Learning Expert” Thomas Nixon explores the idea of “being right and winning” when it comes to teacher presence on social networking sites and consequence for usage.
This Texas teacher admits to getting a Facebook account, just to see what it’s like.
The Orange Unified Education Association President in Orange, California sides with the OEA memo.
This librarian disagrees, saying:
Okay, I get it. We don’t want our teachers having inappropriate relationships with students. That shouldn’t have to be said. But come on - MySpace and Facebook aren’t causing that. Teachers have lives outside of their profession, and they shouldn’t have to worry that their online presence will cause them to be accused of being “immoral” or “unprofessional.”
Teacher Bytes commends OEA for being proactive but regards the memo sent to teachers as being too drastic.
A teacher in the UK (yes, way across the pond) responds to what he percieves as OEA’s overreaction.
This Alabama teacher disagrees, saying
“Yes, some teachers have used the technology inappropriately. Some teachers have used poor judgment, some have acted irresponsibly, some immorally, and some even illegally.
Does this mean that the technology should not be used by any teachers? What incredibly poor logic.”
An Ohio Librarian responds to the story by saying:
True, educators are role models. But should they really be prohibited from using social networking sites all together? Or do they just need to adapt online behaviors to reflect the basic Internet safety that they teach kids?
This WIRED columnist encourages teachers to blog, flirt and use social networking sites.
Mr. Moses, a teacher and an assistant principal speaks about reconnecting with a former student through Facebook.
A college PR major responds by disagreeing with her column and instead quoting President Johnson, (link lost)
I agree with Rhonda Johnson, president of Columbus Education Association, when she said, “When you’re a teacher, the bar is set a lot higher, and you have to be very careful.”
November 23rd, 2007 at 8:35 am
One of the major functions of our union (be it CEA, OEA or NEA) is to make us aware things that could adversely affect our careers, be it certification requirements or online activity. That’s what they’re doing– warning us that the ‘net is something that can be seen by everyone, not just friends and family but parents and students.
It doesn’t take many keystrokes to get a comprehensive Google search on someone. Not satisfied with simple credit checks or background checks, employers are Googling potential employees before making the decision to hire people.
What you might have put online during college and that you thought was funny then, or is an inside joke among friends could get you into pretty hot water as a teacher. I think the perception is that any teacher who uses either Myspace or Facebook is automatically guilty of moral turptitude– after all, “only perverts are on Myspace or Facebook” some would say.
The whole “ABCs of Betrayal” series didn’t help much, either. McCarthyism for teachers is alive and well in Columbus, thanks to the Dispatch.
January 20th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
[…] online social networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace. Blogger reactions were documented in Part 1 and Part 2, but bloggers