How far can schools go in regulating teachers' social-media use?
- Mary Beth Hertz says that blogging…
Natalie Munroe, the Central Bucks East High School teacher who might lose her job because of her blog posts about her students, is the latest example of a local teacher dealing with the consequences of blogging or social media.
She is unlikely to be the last, though, as those in the first generation that grew up using social media are now old enough that some are becoming teachers.
Munroe and Collins have joined a list of teachers and professors nationwide who have found themselves in hot water for expressing their views through blogs and social media. Both were critical of students, though neither used students' names.
Some educators who blog or use social media as part of their teaching argue that when done right it can provide tremendous benefit. They say students will need to be proficient and should learn to use such tools responsibly.
"When you look at the essential skills - problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, creativity - we're really preparing these students in essence for jobs that aren't even created yet," said Eric Sheninger, a principal at New Milford High School in North Jersey, who is considered an expert on social networking and technology in schools. "We need to do a better job of preparing them to think critically and authentically."
Some districts are doing that with guidelines for using social media, including discouraging teachers from linking to - or, in social-media parlance, "friending" - students on Facebook. But most in Pennsylvania have not, according to Jeffrey Sultanik, a lawyer who has represented dozens of school districts across the region. Sultanik said social-media policies raise legal concerns, including those involving the First Amendment.
School boards might justifiably regulate employees' use of social media when it interferes with the school district's work, he said. Boards could also ban social-media use that breaches confidentiality obligations or school regulations.
"The ultimate question is whether a public entity such as a school district has the right to mandate what people do off school property," Sultanik said.
