Current Debates

The State of NJ issued a pretty stern "suggestion" that teachers not friend students.  Of course, the article follows with the extreme cases of inappropriate cyber-based relationships, but the state was more concerned about the image of the teachers.

http://www.nj.com/cumberland/index.ssf/2009/09/new_jersey_school_boards_assoc.html

I work in a high school and I won't friend current students. I know that I'm not going to do anything inappropriate, but I just don't ever want the chance that something could be perceived as inappropriate.  Once a student graduates then I *may* friend them, but I still haven't really decided about that.

Now then, once my son is H.S. age, if his friends want to friend me, then I will regardless if I am still at the H.S. or not. At that point it becomes a matter of parenting and monitoring what my child is doing.

I have a friend who is a swim coach (a club team not a h.s. team) and he uses FB to make swim team announements and the like which he really likes being able to do, and being able to post swim team photos and what not, but he also told me that it makes him very nervous.

I won't friend clients either, nor will my dh friend customers, even really good ones.

I do know of some people who have a second FB account for professional purposes and that is where they will friend clients, coworkers etc.

In a situation like a teacher's where minors are involved I do think trying to avoid the appearance of impropriety is important,  but could see how a second account could be useful for school related items only, or if the teacher were to make a page the students could become a fan of if they wanted to use FB to make announcements, reminders, etc.

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I think it's a good thing to keep professional and personal lives separate, teacher or not.  Not just to avoid the appearance of impropriety, but also to avoid workplace politics hassles.  I have a few coworkers as FB friends, and there are days I really wish I didn't - do I really want to post "work is really kicking my butt and I'd rather not be there" when I know that my coworkers can see it?  Or the family members of my clients?  Probably not... though in our smallish community, work and personal life often cross each other, so one is always kind of thinking what ones opinions may do to the professional life.

I know there are several teachers at our HS that do friend current students... not so sure it's a good idea, not just because of potential inappropriate relationships.  What about that retirement party that a teacher attends out of town, someone takes a lot of pictures, posts them to FB, tags the teacher, and then the students see the teacher at a fun party where it looks as though the alochol is flowing freely?  Not the best thing for a student to see.

Now then, once my son is H.S. age, if his friends want to friend me, then I will regardless if I am still at the H.S. or not. At that point it becomes a matter of parenting and monitoring what my child is doing.

I wonder how the state would treat that scenario, putting your profession or parenthood first.  I highly doubt a problem will occur given that nothing inappropriate would transpire, but it could muddy the water for you.  Say, if your son's friends go to the same H.S. you teach at, their friends will see you (i.e., other students, and attempt to add you, etc).  That's when creating separate friend's lists and then putting your "friends" into these categories, and adjusting your privacy settings on your profile, would really come in handy.  For instance, my profile is set up so that my friends' friends cannot see me on my friends' lists. 

My friend is a H.S. teacher and has a son approaching H.S. age now.  I often wondered how she would deal with such overlapping, but then she up and moved to another region while still teaching in the old region she lived in.  Talk about sidestepping that issue, lol.