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Teachers "friending" pupils on social media

Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 3:57 pm
by FluffyD
The Guardian today has an article about teachers that have been friending pupils on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/201 ... s-facebook" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I understand that a school page might possibly be useful for a team such as a choir, rugby, netball etc. to let a lot of people know of events and times etc but for an individual teacher to be in contact with your child out of school just seems so very wrong to me.

I even avoid friending my childrens teachers on Facebook to keep the relationship professional. I get on very well the teachers at school, when my DC's leave their care I would have no qualms about adding them to my friends list to keep in contact with them but don't want to blur the line in case "friendship" gets in the way of them doing their jobs and remaining impartial (I doubt it would happen but thats they way I feel)

Am I wrong?

Re: Teachers "friending" pupils on social media

Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 4:02 pm
by Reading Mum
seems very wrong. I did some horticulture courses a couple of years ago for fun and I had a friend request from one of the lecturers. I found that creepy and disconcerting and I am in my mid 40s.

I do not have teachers or any work colleagues as friends so I can keep those areas totally separate from my social life. I only ever chat about my dog mostly and the occasional family things so they don't need to know any of that.

Re: Teachers "friending" pupils on social media

Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 4:15 pm
by FluffyD
Exactly! I am 32 and currently at uni, if my lecturers contacted me I would not like it (they are a lovely but strange bunch though that is beside the point!)

Why would a teacher feel the need to friend a pupil, especially a high school pupil compared with a uni student, what would they possibly be hoping to gain? The article did mention that a lot of the teachers had asked their pupils to keep it a secret..bleugh :evil: :evil: :twisted:

Re: Teachers "friending" pupils on social media

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 6:24 pm
by um
I have worked in safeguarding and would say this is wrong, wrong, wrong.

I have advised schools to make this clear as part of staff expectations/conduct policies - along with advice not to give lifts to children unless authorised/part of a school visit etc.

This is to protect the staff member as much as the child.

I would be very concerned if a teacher sent a FB friend request to my child. The same applies for clubs, football, etc. If you need to let a child know times, etc, set up an official FB page for the club where the child can access info, but you can't access the child's account. Or send a text or email to the parent.

Re: Teachers "friending" pupils on social media

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 6:42 pm
by yoyo123
I make a point of not living in the same town as I teach, teh last thing I want is to have to see the darlings on Facebook. My private life is private!

To be serious though I think it is a very bad idea. What about professional detachment? One of the first things we were told on PGCE course was " You are their teacher, not a friend, big brother or sister ( or Nan in my case)" Especially important to remember in a secondary where there may only be a 4 year age group between pupils and a teacher

Re: Teachers "friending" pupils on social media

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:13 pm
by Fran17
I agree. I think it is a bad idea for both teachers and pupils. I am not fb friends with my tutor and wouldn't want to be.

Re: Teachers "friending" pupils on social media

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:22 pm
by Sportsmum
It's a sackable offence in many schools - and IMHO - quite rightly so.

Re: Teachers "friending" pupils on social media

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:34 pm
by Guest55
Many teachers I work with don't even have a facebook account ...

Re: Teachers "friending" pupils on social media

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:56 pm
by MrsChubbs
In the schools I have come into contact with in Bucks the guidelines to staff are very clear and unequivocal "Do not do it!"

Re: Teachers "friending" pupils on social media

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:05 pm
by FluffyD
MrsChubbs wrote:In the schools I have come into contact with in Bucks the guidelines to staff are very clear and unequivocal "Do not do it!"
Why would you even want to? Surely you get enough of them during the day? :wink:

There can be no good reason for wanting to do this, especially when the majority of the ones discussed in the article new that they were doing wrong as they aked their pupils not to tell anyone :shock: