Blog Post 2

1) Is it fair to scrutinize teachers’ private lives (either online or offline? Explain/defend your position.

         I think it is only fair to scrutinize lives if there is a probable cause. The only problem is how do we define what a probable cause is. Teachers need to take responsibility for their career and accept that they are going to be held to a higher standard than other professions. Therefore they need to be careful in what they choose to expose to social media or in public because one little doing can ruin their career. Teachers have equal rights just like anyone born in the United States but they are also role models to someone else's child. Teachers shouldn't be exposing pictures where they are drinking any sort of alcohol, especially if they have their students on their friends list. Teachers should be aware that the parents of your students are not going to approve of a picture taken at a bar or a party. If this is what a teacher is choosing to do during her private life, they need to be more careful and choose to go to a bar that isn't in the town you teach in. Be aware of the pictures you are taking that could haunt you if they were to be exposed into social networking.

        I believe teachers should be closely examined in their private lives. I think there are far too many teachers already that are licensed to teach that should probably not have that right. The students they are teaching and setting examples for are the future generation of our world. Parents and administration should be watchful of what type of leaders are being chose to take that role. I'm not saying I think teachers that have a glass of wine with dinner can't take on that role but definitely shouldn't be snapping photos of themselves with the beverage in their hands and a huge smile on their face. It's just something a elementary or middle school student shouldn't be seeing their teacher doing. If this is something a teacher doesn't agree with or has a hard time following then maybe they should stick to private emails where they could still send photo albums to their close friends and it's more of a private setting. I just think that teachers accepted the profession as teachers and they should take the responsibility that comes with the job and the job is to be a good example to children.

        

2) Should teachers maintain a presence on social networking sites? Why or why not? As a teacher, what steps can you take to protect yourself from criticism and/or sanctions when using social media sites?

     Teachers shouldn't maintain a presence on social networking sites. I think it's an easy way in for anyone to have access to your personal life. The internet is very entertaining but it can also be very dangerous and everyone should be aware of that. Once a teacher has a social networking site anyone can say they are someone else and add you as a friend and you wouldn't even know it. If a teacher wants to have that sort of connection with family and friends that are far away they should keep all their settings private. They should think about just adding their close loved ones and keep pictures to very minimum. I think teachers should be aware that there is also going to be a parent or someone that is going to have a watchful eye on everything they expose or post and it could be a simple thing but be aware that it could be taking into consideration as a probable cause. Even now as a student I am careful with who I add and what I decide to share with networking sites and for the most part I think I've done a good job on exposing very little information.

    Steps that teachers can take to protect themselves would be by first setting all their information to private. I would say not adding students to be their friends. Keeping their friends list to a minimum of people they are really close to. I know some teachers like to keep an eye out on what their students are doing on social networking sites but kids are going to be kids. Parents and communities are the ones that are going to be looking at what teachers are involved in. I think if you even have a little thought in your head that maybe you shouldn't have a social networking site then you probably should get rid of it. With technology we have a lot of different ways to stay connected with friends and family and if social networks are going to be a reason you lose your job or getting criticized then you shouldn't have it.