Comments on: Ohio Teachers And Online Social Networking: Part 3 http://blog.ceaohio.org/wordpress/index.php/2008/01/20/ohio-teachers-and-online-social-networking-part-3/ Presented by the Columbus Education Association Sat, 17 May 2008 04:13:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: mskarip http://blog.ceaohio.org/wordpress/index.php/2008/01/20/ohio-teachers-and-online-social-networking-part-3/#comment-237 mskarip Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:52:37 +0000 http://blog.ceaohio.org/wordpress/index.php/2008/01/20/ohio-teachers-and-online-social-networking-part-3/#comment-237 Remember when we were cautioned to NEVER, EVER, EVER participate in BLOGging? Remember when we were cautioned to NEVER, EVER, EVER participate in BLOGging?

]]> By: Jgrace http://blog.ceaohio.org/wordpress/index.php/2008/01/20/ohio-teachers-and-online-social-networking-part-3/#comment-180 Jgrace Sun, 27 Jan 2008 00:10:30 +0000 http://blog.ceaohio.org/wordpress/index.php/2008/01/20/ohio-teachers-and-online-social-networking-part-3/#comment-180 What happened to our right to privacy? Teachers do not crawl under their desks only to pop back up in the morning in a different outfit. We have rights for wich it seems our local and state unions are not willin to fight. I grant you he fact that teachers and students should not be involved in inappropriate relationships. It saddens me that there are actually adults anywhere that would consider that appropriate. However, If I want to have a myspace or facebook account, that is not anyone elses business. If I want to find a new relationship on match.com then I should be allowed to do that. Teachers do need to be careful that things they do cannot be misconstrued by others, however that does not mean that we cannot be human. Online education is the way of the future, yet as public school teachers we are not expected to communicate online with our students. Does this really make any sense. If we are going to place these restrictions on teachers, then what about police officers, firefighters, doctors, nurses, social workers, custodians, secretaries...hmmm, can anyone name another 50 to 100 jobs that come in contact with children? If the unions give in on this one, then what is next? Maybe we should all have to drive hybrids to prove that we are morally responsible to the environment? Maybe we should all have to attend a religious service to prove that we have some sort of moral character? Maybe we should not be allowed to drink, or smoke, or listen to rap or rock music? Maybe we shouldn't even be allowed in establishments that serve alcohol or play that type of music? Go ahead, back down on this one and the let's see what the next move is to take away our right to a personal life. No wonder we cannot get and keep good teachers. At this point, I would never recommend that anyone pursue education as a profession. Would the rest of you really want your kids working as hard as you have to and then have their personal lives put under a microscope? What happened to our right to privacy? Teachers do not crawl under their desks only to pop back up in the morning in a different outfit. We have rights for wich it seems our local and state unions are not willin to fight. I grant you he fact that teachers and students should not be involved in inappropriate relationships. It saddens me that there are actually adults anywhere that would consider that appropriate. However, If I want to have a myspace or facebook account, that is not anyone elses business. If I want to find a new relationship on match.com then I should be allowed to do that. Teachers do need to be careful that things they do cannot be misconstrued by others, however that does not mean that we cannot be human. Online education is the way of the future, yet as public school teachers we are not expected to communicate online with our students. Does this really make any sense.

If we are going to place these restrictions on teachers, then what about police officers, firefighters, doctors, nurses, social workers, custodians, secretaries…hmmm, can anyone name another 50 to 100 jobs that come in contact with children?

If the unions give in on this one, then what is next? Maybe we should all have to drive hybrids to prove that we are morally responsible to the environment? Maybe we should all have to attend a religious service to prove that we have some sort of moral character? Maybe we should not be allowed to drink, or smoke, or listen to rap or rock music? Maybe we shouldn’t even be allowed in establishments that serve alcohol or play that type of music? Go ahead, back down on this one and the let’s see what the next move is to take away our right to a personal life.

No wonder we cannot get and keep good teachers. At this point, I would never recommend that anyone pursue education as a profession. Would the rest of you really want your kids working as hard as you have to and then have their personal lives put under a microscope?

]]> By: Comrade http://blog.ceaohio.org/wordpress/index.php/2008/01/20/ohio-teachers-and-online-social-networking-part-3/#comment-150 Comrade Mon, 21 Jan 2008 04:39:02 +0000 http://blog.ceaohio.org/wordpress/index.php/2008/01/20/ohio-teachers-and-online-social-networking-part-3/#comment-150 It is a challenging situation. OEA's Legal team is probably attempting to reduce the liklihood of representing educators with any situations Facebook and Myspace may help create thereby reducing legislative costs to all members. However, it would be more prudent, and better appreciated by the younger or more technologically based union members, if OEA gave guidelines on proper use of on-line communities such as MySpace. This would allow educators to have a life more normal outside of the classroom walls. It is a challenging situation. OEA’s Legal team is probably attempting to reduce the liklihood of representing educators with any situations Facebook and Myspace may help create thereby reducing legislative costs to all members.

However, it would be more prudent, and better appreciated by the younger or more technologically based union members, if OEA gave guidelines on proper use of on-line communities such as MySpace. This would allow educators to have a life more normal outside of the classroom walls.

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