Those dangerous mobile devices
By JR Hoeft | Monday, January 10th, 2011 | PolicyIf you look at the General Assembly session, you’ll note there are several proposed bills that attempt to eliminate or limit the use of wireless devices. We’ll talk about that in greater detail as the session heats up.
However, one thing you may not be aware of, is that the Virginia Department of Education is seeking to put a halt to student-teacher relationships on social networks in an effort to stem the tide of sexual misconduct.
This is the proposal:
Model policy for electronic communications with students
• Under most circumstances, teachers and other school board employees must restrict one-on-one
electronic communications with individual students to accounts, systems and platforms provided by or accessible to the school division.
• Teachers and other employees may not use personal wireless communications devices to “text”
students and are prohibited from interacting one-on-one with students through personal online
social-networking sites. Teachers and other school board employees must decline or disregard
invitations from students to interact privately through texting and personal social-networking
sites.
• If, because of an urgent or emergency circumstance, a teacher or other school board employee
uses a personal communications device or account to contact an individual student, the date,
time, and nature of the contact must be reported in writing to his or her supervisor on the next
school day.
• Teachers and other school board employees may not knowingly engage in online gaming
unrelated to instruction with students.
• School board policy on electronic communications with students also applies to teachers and
other employees of virtual school programs and other vendors providing instructional services to
students.
Forgive me, but what ever happened to just disciplining inappropriate behavior? Why do we have this hasty reaction to default to limit, limit, limit? Isn’t there a parental responsibility here? What about appropriate oversight of educators?
Ban guns. Ban SUVs. Ban mobile devices.
What about just enforcing responsible behavior for a change?
The nanny-state strikes again.
(h/t: ReadWriteWeb)
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About the author
Conservative to the core; liberal with his opinion! J.R. has been involved in politics for over a decade and has worked on several campaigns in Hampton Roads. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Chesapeake and the Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia. He is also the director of “Blogs United” in Virginia. E-mail J.R.. Follow J.R. on Twitter.
Comments
8 Responses to "Those dangerous mobile devices"
Four of my six children would rather text than talk on the phone. Sadly, I have had to adjust. My youngest son who is a college student has known for years he wants to be a high school history teacher because ONE teacher at Kellam went above and beyond to show he cared. ONE science teacher who went above and beyond for me in 10th grade put in me a fervent drive to go to college. I was the first in my family to graduate with more than an Associate. Too bad a few perverts can mess it up for so many. And too bad our government is becoming the parent instead of the parents.
Well said, Kathy.
Seriously…if sexual misconduct is such a prevalant problem in schools, perahps we should look at who we hire as teachers and staff?
I actually completely support this. There are boundaries between student/teacher relationships and Facebook is a far too revealing medium. I guess I’m biased because I have a lot of teachers in my family and I’ve heard countless stories of teachers who pry a bit too much revealing info from their students’ profiles. Also, do kids need to be exposed to the professional lives of their teachers on Facebook. Like lots of us, teachers will talk to other teachers about work or other school related things on Facebook. Students don’t need to see that, nor do they need to see pictures of what their teacher did at the bar last friday night.
JR, I agree with you about cracking down on inappropriate behaviour.
But, an adult being Facebook friends with a 13 or 14 year old (who isn’t their own kid) is creepy enough in my book to warrant banning it.
Banning this stuff is the right way to go, however it should be done at the school district level. There is no reason for the state to get involved. The things you are ultimately trying to prevent are already illegal, so in areas where more prevention is needed, the schools merely have to have rules in place and fire any teachers who violate them.
If a student is Friends with a teacher, then there’s the opportunity for the teacher to tutor or answer any questions via a live chat. (Anyone bother to think of that?)
The ban is a case of throwing out the baby with the bath water.
GOOD Grief! Why are we even discussing legislating behavior?!
If it is a good idea for teachers and students to not be connected through social media, then (wait for it…) the PARENTS shouldn’t permit it. Shocker.
If the school districts wish to weigh in, fine – tell the teachers. If that isn’t good enough, make a policy.
Limited Government much, people?
Asking school districts to obey and enforce more laws doesn’t make them more compliant – it just jacks up your taxes while they try and circumvent it while your liberty erodes. See what’s happening up in Fairfax??
http://www.friendsofcommunityschools.org/Press_Release_FCPS_Secret_Emails_on_Clifton_Prompt_Another_Lawsuit_1-7-11.pdf
No laws or government parenting will ever take the place of real parents keeping an ear, eye, and constant relationship radar on their children. To keep our children away from the good teachers because of a few bad ones is reprehensible. It’s the parents who should be in tune enough with their children and go to the school if there is a problem.
Six children and 32 years of parenting, mostly in the public school system, I’ve only had to go to the school ONCE over a teacher’s misbehavior. It wasn’t sexual misconduct but physical hitting and bruising of my child. The principal took it very seriously and the teacher was relieved of her duties.
Quite frankly, if a teacher, neighbor, family friend, or anyone is going to be a sicko, passing this law won’t stop them. But it may keep the good teachers from being able to answer kids questions when they are doing their homework.
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