Social networking and your job

Posted 8 hours ago

While social media and networking is part of many people’s daily lives, could sites such as Facebook and Twitter become the downfall for those who type out their thoughts for all to read?

A Florida high school social studies teacher was recently fired for remarks he made on his personal Facebook page.

Veteran teacher and former teacher of the year Jerry Burell stated on his Facebook page that he “almost threw up” when he read New York legalized same sex marriage last month. He also stated that same sex unions are “a cesspool” and called gay marriage “a sin”. School officials suspended him for violating their newly adopted social media policy that warms teachers to think before they post.

Currently, teachers in Alberta have no formal policy to follow. Should they?

In Ontario, the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) has social media guidelines suggesting their profiles are to remain private and they should not befriending students. The OCT report specifically states teachers should not accept or initiate friend requests on Facebook and advises not following students on Twitter. On the west coast, the B.C. College of Teachers have posted such guidelines on the Facebook 101 section of their website.

Down south, the State of Missouri deems it illegal for teachers to befriend students on Facebook — the teachers are now suing, challenging the constitutionality of a new state law. In New Jersey a teacher was suspended for calling her students “future criminals” on her Facebook page.

Should your employment determine what types of social media you are able to use and what should be posted online? Are there enough privacy controls in place to protect people once comments or pictures are posted?

In this social media age, once something is out there, it is out there. No matter what steps are taken, there are ways for people who know what they are doing, to get the information they want or need.

Should teachers play it safe and create a study group work page to help students? Is it fair restrictions are placed on all teachers because of the carelessness of a few?

Where should the line be drawn between personal and professional information.

Regardless of your occupation, what is posted online — whether it is a statement of belief or a picture — it is a reflection of the person who put it on the Internet. There are thoughts or beliefs that everyone has that they do not necessarily share with their friends but feel the need to share with the world. That is only a reflection of the person posting or tweeting. In the end, it’s about judgement. And if you put it out there, and it gets a second or third look, maybe it was a bad judgement call.

And it is fair to expect a post to be judged by others.

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