Why Legislatures Should Not Ban Teachers from Forming Social Networking Relationships with Their Students

Currently in the news there is a resurgence of stories reporting on improper student teacher relationships. It is suggested that advances in technology are partly to blame because social networking websites foster an environment for these relationships. As a result, state legislatures are actively discussing implementing bans to prevent teachers from forming friendships with their students on social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. Without getting into the constitutionality of such a ban, the question still remains: would this ban make a difference? A better resolution versus forbidding teachers from using these modern tools of communication is to alter the tools themselves or increase the level of parental involvement.

One of the reasons for utilizing different solutions instead of implanting a legal ban is internet social networking sites are an integral method of communication for young people. This means that teachers can utilize this technology to become more effective teachers and mentors to their students. Why take such draconian measures as a complete ban? Also, posts on MySpace and Facebook websites are relatively easy for anyone in the public to access and if legislatures were to ban teachers from forming internet networking relationships with their students, many other more private methods of communications such as texting and emailing still exist.

A different solution is for the programmers at MySpace and Facebook to make additions to their websites to facilitate appropriate student teacher communication. They could create different levels of friendships so that students and teachers could only communicate in very public ways or for parents to be cc’d on any message a teacher sends to a student. Perhaps the simplest solution of all is for parents to learn how to use these tools as well. Parents need to take a cue from the teachers who are on the internet and texting. This will allow parents to keep a more watchful eye on their children along with opening up modern lines of communication. With technology and mediums of communication changing as quickly as they do, bans are only a temporary solution which hurt more than they help.