Are you sure? If I am the administrator of a fan page you as a student first have to click "like" to have my page come up on your wall. Wouldn't I then have access to your page ?

I do not think so. It is different from a friend acceptance (I think). I am not the most proficient in all of fb features.

I do not think so. It is different from a friend acceptance (I think). I am not the most proficient in all of fb features.

 

That would good to know. That would be a good solution if the teacher did not have access to the student's page.

Incorrect and only for those that look at it with narrow eyes.

 

The rule is NOT put in place SOLELY due to physical proximity. It is put in place to reduce the chance of a)inappropriate contact or b)a false claim by a student that inappropriate contact took place. In other words, the rule is there to help reduce the chance for a lawsuit - merited or not.

 

That is NO different than my rule which says no FB contact because of the POTENTIAL for merited or unmerited lawsuits.

Barring a survelliance camera in the room it's "he said, she said" in the example of the "door closed policy". Electronic transmissions can be traced thus having a lot of evidence to prevent false claims.

 

I stand firmly that the two are apples and oranges in comparison to each other. I think it's VERY far-fetched to compare the two.

Can there be negative consequences for a teacher friending students on FB?

 

There are conceivable negative consequences for every interaction between human beings.

 

But yes, the potential for bad outcomes certainly exists on The Facebook.

That would good to know. That would be a good solution if the teacher did not have access to the student's page.

 

Good call. I just tested it and it looks like the fan page cannot see the student's wall. There you go.

Incorrect and only for those that look at it with narrow eyes.

 

The rule is NOT put in place SOLELY due to physical proximity. It is put in place to reduce the chance of a)inappropriate contact or b)a false claim by a student that inappropriate contact took place. In other words, the rule is there to help reduce the chance for a lawsuit - merited or not.

 

That is NO different than my rule which says no FB contact because of the POTENTIAL for merited or unmerited lawsuits.

Speaking of the "closed door policy" I know when I was in high school principals and guidance counselors routinely had students in their office with the door closed. Should this be barred as well?

There are conceivable negative consequences for every interaction between human beings.

 

But yes, the potential for bad outcomes certainly exists on The Facebook.

 

Agreed on both points.

 

My simple point is that if the school administration can come up with a way that lessens or eliminates the potential for problems why not go that route? The "FB is where the kids are" argument just doesn't work for me. A kid will go where they are led if they want help. It's as simple as that. The individual teacher might not like it ie TB&G but my job as an administrator would be to look out for the best interest of the school and taxpayers. It's a no-brainer to me especially when there are alternatives out there.

 

You disagree how?

Barring a survelliance camera in the room it's "he said, she said" in the example of the "door closed policy". Electronic transmissions can be traced thus having a lot of evidence to prevent false claims.

 

I stand firmly that the two are apples and oranges in comparison to each other. I think it's VERY far-fetched to compare the two.

 

So you've never heard of a "he said she said" lawsuit or charge? You've never heard of a teacher having his/her personal and professional reputation besmirched unfairly? As an administrator I can't eliminate EVERY possible problem but the easy one would be to eliminate friending students on FB.

 

You disagree? Cool. I ain't mad at ya.

Speaking of the "closed door policy" I know when I was in high school principals and guidance counselors routinely had students in their office with the door closed. Should this be barred as well?

 

Fair question.

Agreed on both points.

 

My simple point is that if the school administration can come up with a way that lessens or eliminates the potential for problems why not go that route? The "FB is where the kids are" argument just doesn't work for me. A kid will go where they are led if they want help. It's as simple as that. The individual teacher might not like it ie TB&G but my job as an administrator would be to look out for the best interest of the school and taxpayers. It's a no-brainer to me especially when there are alternatives out there.

 

You disagree how?

 

I don't feel that the potential for abuse is such that teachers and students should be banned from interaction on Facebook. But that wasn't why I initially commented. I honestly just didn't like your submission of the "Facebook replacement" as something that stands in for Facebook. It doesn't achieve the same end. If it comes down to not having Facebook, then just don't have it. There's no need for a separate program or application. Just have an e-mail account and check it regularly. If we're not going to integrate education and daily life, then don't bother with any of the other stuff.

So you've never heard of a "he said she said" lawsuit or charge? You've never heard of a teacher having his/her personal and professional reputation besmirched unfairly? As an administrator I can't eliminate EVERY possible problem but the easy one would be to eliminate friending students on FB.

 

You disagree? Cool. I ain't mad at ya.

I just don't see friending students as a problem at all, though I can see benefits like TB&G talks about. But hey, I ain't mad at you either.

I did. You said what's the problem as long as teachers do not have inappropriate content on their page.

 

I answered by saying that's not the issue. I doubt many/any teachers have inappropriate content. The debate has never been about that.

 

No, you didn't, at all. You've danced around the question. But I'll ask again, one last time.

 

Assuming that the teacher has no ill intent and nothing of consequence on their own page, what do you see as some of the worst problems that a teacher could come across by choosing to "friend" students on Facebook?

So you've never heard of a "he said she said" lawsuit or charge? You've never heard of a teacher having his/her personal and professional reputation besmirched unfairly? As an administrator I can't eliminate EVERY possible problem but the easy one would be to eliminate friending students on FB.

 

You disagree? Cool. I ain't mad at ya.

 

I many times end up with students in my classroom after school for a variety of reasons. There is usually one that stays later than others (not the same one). My room is isolated, so even if my door is open, no one knows what is going on. From your perspective, I should not be allowed to work more with this student one-on-one because of the potential for "he said, she said" types of issues, regardless of the good that can come out of it.

No, you didn't, at all. You've danced around the question. But I'll ask again, one last time.

 

Assuming that the teacher has no ill intent and nothing of consequence on their own page, what do you see as some of the worst problems that a teacher could come across by choosing to "friend" students on Facebook?

 

Two ways of answering this: "Come across?" : Underage drinking by students. Seeing students passed out. Seeing students using drugs or talking about using drugs. Sexual situations. Your likely response is "we hear about that stuff all the time." You have plausible deniability when you hear about it. You do not have that when it's on your news feed on FB. Second: Some teachers will be having private conversations/chats with students that are inappropriate at best which we already have seen happen.

 

In EITHER situation the school is now in a situation where they are potentially liable in a lawsuit brought by an unhappy parent.

 

I can't imagine any of this is a surprise to you.

 

You still have not answered any of my inquiries as to why you let the students dictate where you the teacher goes to provide assistance. Why do you let them control the situation? Why can't you dictate the terms?

I many times end up with students in my classroom after school for a variety of reasons. There is usually one that stays later than others (not the same one). My room is isolated, so even if my door is open, no one knows what is going on. From your perspective, I should not be allowed to work more with this student one-on-one because of the potential for "he said, she said" types of issues, regardless of the good that can come out of it.

 

That is NOT my perspective. My point in mentioning that specific situation is to show schools already place rules on teachers that are innocent because of either a few that MIGHT not be innocent or because they want to eliminate as many opportunities as possible for claims made against a teacher. I've said previously that you can never eliminate ALL of the problems. You can easily eliminate SOME and FB is an easy one.

 

You are way too intelligent not to get that. Way too intelligent.