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Missouri Law Says Students, Teachers Can't Be Facebook Friends

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the behind-the-times dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Teachers can be friendly with their students, but they can't be their friends, at least when it comes to social networks such as Facebook. State Governor Jay Nixon has signed Senate Bill 54, which goes into effect on August 28, 2011 in the state of Missouri. In other words, later this month it will be illegal for students and teachers to be friends online."

9 of 415 comments (clear)

  1. Wait, they have the internet in Missouri? by elrous0 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wow, that place has changed a lot since I was there. Back in my day, we didn't even have clothes. Just ran around naked and illiterate all day.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    1. Re:Wait, they have the internet in Missouri? by UnknowingFool · · Score: 3, Informative

      Your analogy is not apt as there is a difference between dating and associating. Also the restriction means they lose the license for unprofessional conduct. The state did not make it illegal for them to date.

      --
      Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
    2. Re:Wait, they have the internet in Missouri? by bws111 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Did you bother to read the actual bill, or just the rantings of some blogger? Nowhere in the bill does it mention Facebook or 'friends'. All it says is that school districts must have a written policy concerning teacher-student and employee-student communications. This policy must include

      Appropriate use of electronic media such as text messaging and internet sites for both instructional and personal purposes, with an element concerning use of social networking sites no less stringent than the provisions of subsections 2, 3, and 4 of this section.

      No that it does NOT say Facebook is 'banned', only that use of social media must be addressed just like all other electronic media.

      When you read subsections 2,3, and 4 you will find that what they are requiring is that any contact between a teacher and a student must be accessible by the student's parent or legal guardian.

  2. Law not really needed, just common sense by ShaunC · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Senate Bill 54 is dubbed the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act. It is named after a Missouri public school student who was repeatedly molested by a teacher several decades ago.

    Several decades ago? Yeah, definitely Facebook's fault! Let's make a law!

    This is already policy in a lot of school districts, simply because there are too many potential problems that could arise between students and teachers becoming too "friendly." Even where it's not policy, I can't imagine why any teacher in their right mind would accept the risk of "friending" students online. I think it ought to remain a district-level thing, though.

    --
    Thanks to the War on Drugs, it's easier to buy meth than it is to buy cold medicine!
  3. Dumb question... by nebaz · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What happens if your teacher is your parent?

    --
    Rhymes that keep their secrets will unfold behind the clouds.There upon the rainbow is the answer to a neverending story
  4. Re:Good... by scubamage · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm interested in this as well; I am dating a teacher. What happens if our child ends up being taught by her?

  5. Sad new paranoid world by hoggoth · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I see everyone is in agreement with this.
    It's a shame. When I was a teenager I was friends with one of my teachers. He took me under his wing, brought me to cool places that I wouldn't have been exposed to otherwise. He became friends with my family. Never an inappropriate touch or word.

    But everyone knows now that all men are child molesters, especially teachers.

    --
    - For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat /dev/random (may take some time)
  6. Horseshit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    And kind of creepy as well. I would be perfectly comfortable with a teacher being fired for friending his students on facebook.

    Unbelievable. So, teachers are all potential pedophiles, eh?

    In this day and age finding decent role models is near impossible. Politicians are all lying scumbags. Business leaders are cheating sons of bitches. Scientists are spineless cowards. And entertainers are just garbage.

    There were actually a few teachers in my day who actually took the depressed, shy, abused, and withdrawn child that I was and inspired me to try to do better. Some of them were able to pull talents out of me that I didn't realize that I possessed. If I had more contact with them - on a professional and even friend level - I think that my life would be much much better.

    Looking back from my middle aged wisdom, I can see teachers who were enthusiastic about teaching and their subjects - they loved children. The thought of them molesting or doing anything to harm a child (0-18 years old) doesn't even cross my mind.

    I have known sleazy people who preyed on children - they did it in private and they were slick about it - they would never do it on Facebook - to great of a chance of being caught.

  7. Re:Good... by LearnToSpell · · Score: 3, Funny

    Obviously you'd have to give the child up for adoption.

    --
    Haida Manga