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Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own child

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winston53660

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A Missouri teacher has sued the state over a new law that prevents teachers from contacting their students over the Internet, arguing that it will make it illegal for her to chat with her own child over Facebook. The law, which has been nicknamed the Facebook law, prohibits teachers from having exclusive communications with students over non-work Internet sites. Students are defined as anyone under 18 who attend or used to attend the school where the teacher works. In her suit, Christina Thomas alleges that the Ladue, Mo., school district where she works has told teachers that they cannot have "exclusive communications" with their own children on Facebook if their children meet the law's definition of former or current student.
Thomas says the law is violating her rights under the 1st and 14th amendments.
Missouri teacher sues state over
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

The facebook law is a nessecary evil.

Teachers should not have their students on facebook, its just not a good idea, this has become policy with many companies too, managers aren't allowed to have employees on facebook and so forth.

This specific debacle is just retarded, its her own damn daughter... I mean I suppose there should be a clause for this scenario, but I doubt anyone would actually prosecute such a thing. But I would say if the teacher would have to update her privacy options so that her students who'd have her daughter on facebook couldn't snoop her profile.
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

I would just have my husband track my daughter on facebook.
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

such lawsuits are inevitable; the law will be overturned.
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

Why exactly do they need this law? Wouldn't it be better if the kids who were being harassed by a teacher had some sort of proof of that harassment? Why wouldn't a teacher willing to harass a student, in any way, on Facebook, not look for some other place to harass the student, somewhere that is more private and/or less likely to be able to be monitored?

And, it would work the other way for the teacher too.

I don't see a need for this, especially when it doesn't actually serve a good purpose. No student or teacher should be forced to accept anyone as a friend on a social networking site, but neither should they be prevented from accepting anyone. If parents want to ensure their kids aren't in inappropriate relationships with their teachers, then they need to monitor their children while they are on those sites.
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

idk the details, but I suspect that this law is an overblown knee-jerk to prevent something that has only a small probability of happening in the first place.

Based merely on my past experience with legislatures and their perceptions of technology.
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

The law exists to maintain a level of professionalism in the teacher student relationship

A teacher might be a bit of a party animal and have some posts or pictures on their facebook page which is entirely acceptable for any adult to have. But present a problem should students see them. Or the teacher may see things on a students profile that a teacher really should not be seeing

So I can fully see a teacher not accepting students into their personal Facebook profiles. But should a teacher have two profiles, one for school and associated aspects and one for their private life, I would think that should be acceptable
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

Jetboogieman said:
The facebook law is a nessecary evil.

Teachers should not have their students on facebook, its just not a good idea, this has become policy with many companies too, managers aren't allowed to have employees on facebook and so forth.

This specific debacle is just retarded, its her own damn daughter... I mean I suppose there should be a clause for this scenario, but I doubt anyone would actually prosecute such a thing. But I would say if the teacher would have to update her privacy options so that her students who'd have her daughter on facebook couldn't snoop her profile.
Click to expand...

so is spellchecker, apparently :2razz:
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

I have a frined who teaches at a highschool. My friend's policy is that no current students will be friended. After they graduate they are potentiallty acceptable. My friend also pre-emptively blocks certain students just before they graduate.
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

Lord Tammerlain said:
The law exists to maintain a level of professionalism in the teacher student relationship

A teacher might be a bit of a party animal and have some posts or pictures on their facebook page which is entirely acceptable for any adult to have. But present a problem should students see them. Or the teacher may see things on a students profile that a teacher really should not be seeing

So I can fully see a teacher not accepting students into their personal Facebook profiles. But should a teacher have two profiles, one for school and associated aspects and one for their private life, I would think that should be acceptable
Click to expand...


that just makes to much sense for some folks to comprehend.......i think a teacher should have a facebook page exclusivley for their students, it can only help students who actually want to learn and achieve, what could be better than a math teacher explaining some complicated equation to help the sudents with their homework during non school hours? Of course the teacher must be dedicated to the just cause and not turn it into some chit chat gossip session...............then they could have their personal page where they can actually be a regular human being with a life if they wish
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

It's one thing for school districts to adopt reasonable precautions and policies regarding teachers and students communicating via facebook, etc. It's quite another when the state makes an all-encompassing law that results in this kind of unforeseen consequence. I believe the law should be overturned on appeal. Time will tell.
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

So her daugher doesn't have a phone? Or e-mail? Does she only interact with the outside world over facebook?

I have a strict policy -- I will never be my mother's facebook friend. I've extended that policy to uncles and aunts as well.
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

Jetboogieman said:
The facebook law is a nessecary evil.

Teachers should not have their students on facebook, its just not a good idea, this has become policy with many companies too, managers aren't allowed to have employees on facebook and so forth.

This specific debacle is just retarded, its her own damn daughter... I mean I suppose there should be a clause for this scenario, but I doubt anyone would actually prosecute such a thing. But I would say if the teacher would have to update her privacy options so that her students who'd have her daughter on facebook couldn't snoop her profile.
Click to expand...

No, it's not. It's a stupid, and unnecessary law.
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

I hate laws that punish everyone in order to address a few bad apples. I think the law should be struck down for this reason.

If a teacher is being creepy, then you report them on a case by case basis. Innocent until proven guilty, that's the way our justice system works.
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

Why does this law exist? Who cares if a teacher contacts students on facebook.
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

winston53660 said:
A Missouri teacher has sued the state over a new law that prevents teachers from contacting their students over the Internet, arguing that it will make it illegal for her to chat with her own child over Facebook. The law, which has been nicknamed the Facebook law, prohibits teachers from having exclusive communications with students over non-work Internet sites. Students are defined as anyone under 18 who attend or used to attend the school where the teacher works. In her suit, Christina Thomas alleges that the Ladue, Mo., school district where she works has told teachers that they cannot have "exclusive communications" with their own children on Facebook if their children meet the law's definition of former or current student.
Thomas says the law is violating her rights under the 1st and 14th amendments.
Missouri teacher sues state over
Click to expand...


You can't prosecute someone for something they MIGHT have done, which is just what this law is aiming to do.
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

Temporal said:
I hate laws that punish everyone in order to address a few bad apples. I think the law should be struck down for this reason.

If a teacher is being creepy, then you report them on a case by case basis. Innocent until proven guilty, that's the way our justice system works.
Click to expand...

I agree. I weep for our children having to grow up in a time when we make things so complicated and restrictive life just gets less and less fun. Why can't we just let the people who do something wrong pay and not ruin things for everyone else. How come everything has to become a crusade or an all or nothing proposition. Baaaah!
 
Jetboogieman said:
The facebook law is a nessecary evil.

Teachers should not have their students on facebook, its just not a good idea, this has become policy with many companies too, managers aren't allowed to have employees on facebook and so forth.

This specific debacle is just retarded, its her own damn daughter... I mean I suppose there should be a clause for this scenario, but I doubt anyone would actually prosecute such a thing. But I would say if the teacher would have to update her privacy options so that her students who'd have her daughter on facebook couldn't snoop her profile.
Click to expand...

It's not a necessary evil or even necessary. The district can deal with such matters by making them taboo or a district policy that it doesn't accept teacher communicating with students through social networking sites. The clause is noteworthy, however.
 
Lord Tammerlain said:
The law exists to maintain a level of professionalism in the teacher student relationship

A teacher might be a bit of a party animal and have some posts or pictures on their facebook page which is entirely acceptable for any adult to have. But present a problem should students see them. Or the teacher may see things on a students profile that a teacher really should not be seeing

So I can fully see a teacher not accepting students into their personal Facebook profiles. But should a teacher have two profiles, one for school and associated aspects and one for their private life, I would think that should be acceptable
Click to expand...

Yeah, but the separate profile still admits the same communication the other profile would have: extracurricular, without many of the safeguards for both teachers and students against the other.
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

This would make it easy for students to get teachers fired and prosecuted. All they have to do is create an account with their teacher's name and yearbook photo. It would be easy enough to do from the school's network.
 
Re: Missouri teacher sues state over ‘Facebook law,’ says she can’t contact her own c

Tammerlain said:
The law exists to maintain a level of professionalism in the teacher student relationship
Click to expand...

This law is stupid because every single instance of wrongdoing was covered under other laws that have already been in place. This is equally as dumb and pointless as no-texting while driving laws, it's just a propaganda victory for politicians who want to make themselves look good.
 
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