Will Kansas Be Next?

[Catwoman]

If you're a student living in Missouri, you'd better not be Facebook friends with any of your teachers – that will soon be illegal.

According to Missouri Senate Bill 54 that goes into effect on August 28, any social networking — not just Facebook — is prohibited between teachers and students. It's all part of an effort to "more clearly define teacher-student boundaries." However, KSPR reports that It's only direct social media contact that's prohibited; teachers are allowed to create Facebook Pages where all students have direct access to the teacher in a more public setting.

Inappropriate contact between students and teachers is at the root of the legislation. Senate Bill 54 is designed to protect children from sexual misconduct by teachers, compelling school districts to adopt written policies between teachers and students on electronic media, social networking and other forms of communication.

Teachers and students usually shouldn't be friends, anyway, so on the surface this sounds like a good idea. However, we wonder how this will be policed. Will the state be allowed access to Facebook accounts, personal computers or Internet service provider records to see who's befriending teachers or students? Inappropriate relationships will be hard to detect, especially since teachers and students engaged in such relationships would probably be concealing their communications, electronic or otherwise.

The question now is, will this new law pass a constitutional test? And who would step forward to challenge it?


I have never 'friended' students on Facebook...That is my private space, shared with my friends and relatives.  I give 90 percent of my life to my students...That is the 10 percent I keep solely for myself.  However, I am not sure it is the State's place to legislate this...And I have to wonder how long it will be until Kansas follows suit?  I suppose this comes as a result of adults acting like friends with children, instead of leading them in the mature, adult manner that they're supposed to...When those lines become blurred, then I guess it's necessary to re-establish them.  It just seems a bit of an overkill for the State to legislate it...I would have rather seen school boards make that decision and then be forced to find some way to enforce it.

[larryJ]

You are spot on, Cat.  This should be left to the school boards, not the state.  If all were like you, there would be no need for state legislation.  I can, however, see where they are going with this.  The schools here have websites in which students can post messages for teachers as to clarification of homework assignments, etc.  Teachers can post classroom notices and such, but it is not used for private messages.  Basically, it works like a forum and the school is the administrator and can allow or disallow any messages not deemed appropriate.

Larryj

[jarhead]

Larry,
For once, I respectfully disagree with you. Seems as though these days it's quite fashionable for teachers  (both male & female ) the jump in out of bed with their students. Seems as though most of the time it starts with either Face Book or text messages. Put a stop to it all.

[Catwoman]

Jar...The habit of treating students as "friends" instead of students is where that kind of sickness gets started...Not Facebook...But I will agree that Facebook exaserbates the issue.  I don't think that teachers should EVER 'friend' students, under any circumstances, on Facebook.  I don't believe in treating my students as my "friend" at school, either.  Once you've begun treating them as "friend", it undermines your ability to maintain discipline in the classroom.  I have always been known as a strict teacher...I don't ever have any problems with a lack of respect in my room.  It all goes back to commanding the respect of your students (not demanding it) through your actions.  It's hard to give that level of respect to nothing more than a "friend".   

[jarhead]

Jar...The habit of treating students as "friends" instead of students is where that kind of sickness gets started...Not Facebook...But I will agree that Facebook exaserbates the issue.  I don't think that teachers should EVER 'friend' students, under any circumstances, on Facebook.  I don't believe in treating my students as my "friend" at school, either.  Once you've begun treating them as "friend", it undermines your ability to maintain discipline in the classroom.  I have always been known as a strict teacher...I don't ever have any problems with a lack of respect in my room.  It all goes back to commanding the respect of your students (not demanding it) through your actions.  It's hard to give that level of respect to nothing more than a "friend".   

Oh No---to borrow a quote from Pam--the devil has frost bite because hell just froze over. We DO AGREE on something---finally

[Catwoman]

LOL... ...Doesn't surprise me...Fishermen can't be wrong ALL the time! lol 

[larryJ]

Jarhead, you most definitely have the right to disagree, either respectively or otherwise.  I am not sure what part you are disagreeing with, though.  Maybe I didn't get it said like I should.  I am saying that if all teachers had the same standards as Cat, state legislation would not be necessary.

I don't know how many teachers and students get involved with each other.  I only hear of the ones that make the evening news.  I had two teachers in my school years that were on a more personal level with me.  One was a 22 year old Chemistry teacher in high school who was also the sponsor of the Methodist Youth Fellowship.  I got elected President of the MYF and had to spend some time with her working on projects and such.  She was gorgeous and I was in love, but we were only partners as far as the church group was concerned, not equals nor even on the same social level.  After I graduated from that school, she then kept in touch with a Christmas card every year for a few years.  Possibly, this happened because my mother was a teacher in the same school district and they knew each other well.  Recently, another graduate and I got in touch via Facebook and he had "friended" her recently.  She is now in her 70's and living in Nebraska and doing just fine.  The other one was an elderly Physics teacher who took me aside and told me that I was a good student and that he appreciated my classroom work and homework assignments being up to snuff.  He was also a neighbor in that small town and I would do odd jobs for him as he was somewhat frail.  There are teachers that you remember always and remember their names and cherish the good memories of them. 

Larryj

[Catwoman]

I understand what you're saying, Larry.  You had teachers who were friendly.  Every kid needs teachers who are kind, compassionate, friendly.  But being friends goes deeper than that description, which is rightfully on a more superficial level.  I had teachers that I became friends with, later on in life, that had been friendly to me as a child.  The vast, vast majority of teachers wouldn't dream of doing anything to a child, much less anything that was going to be of a variety to land them on the evening news.  The pedophiles who prey on children and make the nightly news are, thankfully, extremely rare.  And no.  I don't buy it that they were 'in love'.  Sorry.  It's a sickness on their part.

[Diane Amberg]

I get it too Cat.
  My chemistry teacher and I were very good friends when I was in high school. He worked for my father in the summer. I also was good friends with my science teacher, who was one of my inspirations to become a teacher myself.  My Latin teacher, my social studies teacher and my fourth grade teacher all took art classes at my mom's studio. I saw them outside of school, which does change the relationship a little. BUT adding sex to any mix involving kids is wrong, wrong, wrong.
Something has changed about kids and sexuality in general. The word "casual" has invaded too many areas of our lives, sex included.  Parents who let their daughters dress too provocatively don't help matters. Is shouldn't matter, but it does.  When I see how some young adults show up for job interviews I'm shocked!
Of course, any group of people who are expected to be trusted should be held to a higher standard, but I hate it when the labeling is used by some to make an angry point.  Not all priests are pedophiles either but they have been horribly tarnished because of recent events .Court awards and economics have made some diocese so bankrupt they have had to close their schools.
  An entire group should not be indited by anyone because of the actions of a very few. To me that shows immaturity and lack of depth, and perhaps lack of intelligence.

[Catwoman]

I agree with you, especially about the provocative dress on the part of girls...My mama always said that amounted to advertising...And the girl had better be ready when that ad is answered.