Law restricts student-teacher Facebook contact

August 3, 2011 by admin
Filed under Lingerie Events

Who is Amy Hestir?

After the Associated Press published an investigation into sexual misconduct in the education community, Amy Hestir, a 40-year-old Columbia woman, came forward with her story. Hestir was allegedly abused by a teacher in north-central Missouri starting at age 12. She said she and the teacher were in a sexual relationship until she was 14, when he forcibly raped her after she told him she wanted to end it. When Hestir learned years later that the man was still teaching in southeast Missouri, she came forward with her story.

Sen. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, named her student protection bill after Hestir, and Hestir told her story in front of the House in 2008. The teacher in Hestir’s case was never tried, as the case exceeded the 10-year statute of limitations by the time Hestir came forward. Cunningham’s bill would modify the statute of limitations so that a prosecution must begin within 30 years after a victim reaches age 18.

The change, effective Aug. 28, is part of the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act, which aims to shield students from predatory teachers. The law says teachers “cannot have a nonwork-related website that allows exclusive access with a current or former student,” leaving some unsure what is acceptable.

Some students, such as Rock Bridge High School junior Atreyo Ghosh, said they disagree with the policy. Atreyo said Facebook is effective for sharing announcements and homework help.

“When we had that huge snowstorm earlier in the year, Facebook was one of the ways teachers contacted us to make sure we kept up with work,” Atreyo said.

Rock Bridge senior Brooke Eaton, who is friends with about seven teachers on Facebook, said direct-messaging options make it easier for students to get immediate help. “I never thought it would go through because I think it is kind of a ridiculous law, and I don’t see the reason behind it,” she said. “I don’t think there have been enough problems with it for it to really make a huge difference.”

But Amy Surdin — formerly Amy Hestir, the namesake of the law — said there have been enough incidents to make it necessary. There should be set boundaries between teachers and students, she said, adding that there have been unpublicized cases of Internet chats and text messages that have resulted in the abuse of students by education professionals.

“The issue with cellphones, Facebook and what have you is it’s an exchange of personal information that doesn’t have anything for school. If a teacher sets up a page for the classroom community, that’s the only way I wouldn’t have a problem with that,” she said.

Most schools already have a classroom website available, said Surdin, who is the mom of a West Junior High School student.

The problem with school email accounts and websites, Hickman High School teacher Phil Overeem said, is students don’t check those as often. Overeem said he operates a Facebook page for a Hickman club, and while he has never had a problem with the group page and is friends with former students, he does not “friend” current students.

“I have no huge problem with the ‘Facebook law,’ other than the large group of sensible people that suffer as a result of the very warped minority,” he said.

Matt LaCasse, who teaches at the Boys and Girls Club of West Central Missouri, agreed most teachers don’t need such a law, but the small number who do make it a necessity. LaCasse wrote a blog post supporting the law yesterday and already has heard responses from many who disagree, saying it is just another way for the government to regulate people’s lives.

“If we lived in a perfect world, I would absolutely agree,” he said. “But unfortunately we don’t … and if we inconvenience high school students and teachers with this, I’m afraid that’s just going to have to be the deal.”

Reach Catherine Martin at 573-815-1711 or e-mail cmartin@columbiatribune.com.