h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

One of my teachers, a very lovely man, who is head of Performing Arts at our school has a MySpace page. One of the parents has complained to the school that the teacher has this page and so he will have to shut it down. The teacher only has 7 or so friends on his page and rejects most friend requests. (we had a big conversation about this one day so i know he does). Anyway, he accepts the people who he knows will be fine with him possibly intereacting with them outside of school and the people he trusts.

Unfortunately, and im not too clear on what the laws are in Australia, teachers are not suppose to interact with students outside of school (without a parents permission etc.) because it is feared that the teacher might do something 'wrong'. I think that people are too strict on this issue.

This teacher is a really nice guy and in no way would EVER take advantage of a student or do something to harm them or put them in a bad situation. If you met him, you would immediately see that hes a good person. People at my school have a lot of respect for the man. I understand where parents may be coming from but because he only accepts the people he really knows, i dont think its a big problem.

There is nothing bad on his page, nothing that should or would make any parent feel uncomfortable. He only has two comments and so really doesnt even interact with the people whos friend requests he has accepts anyway.

i dont think its right to restrict who teachers can talk to outside of school and how they talk to them. i think, if both the teacher and student understand the implications and 'consequences' of what they are doing and both give permission then thats fine. my mum would not care if i talked to this teacher on MySpace, she knows hes a good man.

what do you think?
Hannah

Regardless of his job, surely this teacher is a regular citizen who's as entitled as anyone else to a page on a social networking site. As long as everything that he does is above board, transparent and clean, there shouldn't be anything for other people to complain about. From what you say, he's selective about who he invites to be his Friends, so isn't being threatening about his relationships. If is page is publically visible, like Hootoo, then parents who are really concerned can keep an eye on him and his behaviour.

There are probably some circumstances in which he has be be careful, conflict of interest or teacher/pupil/parent confidientiality stuff.

To say that someone is a nice guy who would *never* do anything wrong can be sweeping and dangerous; exceptions exist to every rule. This is not meant to cast any aspertions on your teacher at all, Hannah.

ok, i accept that there are exceptions to the rule. but i trust this guy with my life and know that he, at least, would never do anything to put me in danger.

Another thing i forgot to add in the entry was that: teachers cant have MySpace pages and yet it is completely acceptable for them to have Face Book pages and interact with students on Face Book.

Anyway...

I'll admit to not knowing the difference in standards between MySpace and Facebook - most of my classmate use Bebo, and therefore the interaction possibilities for users. To play devil's advocate for a second, does this mean that a person who became a teacher would have to surrender their space, and then be able to pick it up again upon leaving the profession or between jobs?

There are people with whom you'd trust your life and I can't understand why their reputation, behaviour or honesty is doubted for the sake of a piece of cyper-space.

I'm sure that it's fine for teachers or other adults in a position of responsibility to have MySpace pages, etc. But in the same way that they don't go out after school with their pupils or invite them over for a party (or at least, shouldn't be doing this!) then I think it is inapprproiate for them to interact with pupils on a social networking site. Teachers and pupils do not/should not interact socially outside school and online is no different. Parents may understandably question a teacher's motives in so doing. Similarly, teachers are entitled to their privacy and a private life outside school, and the only circumstances in which a teacher should be available online (whether on a site such as MySpace or not) is with the full backing and agreement of both school and parents, and with complete transparency about what such contact is and is not for.

myspace is pretty much the same as bebo-it is assumed that younger people use these two sites and older people use FaceBook.(which pretty much isnt true, people who have either bebo or myspace generally also have face book no matter what their age is... but thats the way it is seen.)

you can have one, as long as you dont talk to students so i suppose you can communicate with former students or if you stop becoming a teacher.


and i do see where youre coming from LostFreckles
thanks everyone.
Hannah

I really have trouble with this one - I mean making the teacher shut down his page. I think we have such a safe society in some countries that we (or at least some of us) look for every possible way to make life even 'safer'. Ok, fine, but maybe there are limits - limits in the sense that in trying to make things safer, we are squeezing the life out of life?

In this case, the argument seems to be that every teacher is a potential wrong doer - guilty, in a sense, until proven innocent - so then go for the lowest common denominator and shut down their pages.

I think it's wrong to take this approach. Especially because there are much better ways of handling it than a blanket ban. And we lose so much - good, honest, interesting, and appropriate communication.

thank you for your imput spartacus7

i agree with the blanket ban bit especially - we also lose what might turn out to be a great friendship and getting to know a good person.

im sure this has happened to other people in the world, and why not become better friends with teacher? it can make learning more fun and class better. its better than hating and not getting along with them. i get along with some of the teachers at my school really well and so i enjoy having a lunch time conversation. they also trust me more because they know me. what is the harm in getting to know someone? the internet is just a different form of communicating with them.

i consider some of them good friends and that is how i communicate with my friends.

Hannah

The trouble with becoming friends with a teacher is it could cause problems, prevent the teacher being as objective as he should be.

Eg: you know the student, like them as a person. Have to mark their coursework but find it lacking in some way. You KNOW they can do better and obviously had a bad day/blanked at the time/panicked under pressure etc. Or, want to see them do well because you know from social conversations that this course or subect is important to them or their future, so mark on the lenient side.

At our Uni, as I imagine at most schools, we carry out anonymous marking, so that no-one knows who the script belongs to until after it's been through both initial and second marking. This prevents this teachers' dilema arising.

By all means be on good terms with the lecturers. As you say, it does improve the atmosphere in the class and makes tuition more interesting. If you can joke around it is beneficial.

the good thing is he doesnt teach me and never will

but yes, i do see where youre coming from and im sure that does happen a lot!

...which reminds me, i should be studying for some tests next week... thanks!

see you later
Hannah