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A Mississippi school district has decided texting with a cell phone and messaging through MySpace is now a no no for their teachers and students.
They believe it encourages casual communication which could be problematic in the long run, and that teachers and students need a more professional forum in which to stay in touch.
What do you think?
Many teachers in our area, and elsewhere communicate with students and their parents through a “Classroom Website.” This way, information about class projects, homework assignments and field trips are easily accessed. But texting or MySpacing between teachers and students is completely different, and according to this school district, “not formal enough.”
And– tell us about some local examples where student/teacher texting, or corresponding through MySpace has led to problems.
BLOG!!
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Kerri-Lee 07.21.08 at 7:51 pm
Alright KLTV blog parents– what do you think? I want to hear from you! (the segment airs tonight at 10:15, video will be available on the link shortly after if you miss the tv report) KL
shaikens 07.21.08 at 9:05 pm
I think in high school it would be extremely weird/awkward/and inappropriate. In college, however, especially once you’re in your major, it’s very common.
Mike K. 07.21.08 at 9:24 pm
I feel it is ok for teachers and students to email between the two, but NOT to text and or talk on my space!
Lemon 07.21.08 at 9:37 pm
I think it should be OK. Many times the communication is for school purposes, and when it is now, that wrong could it bring? People have lives outside of school and teachers are people capable of being friends as well as anyone else.
-Lemon
William Penn High School Senior.
Frank 07.21.08 at 9:38 pm
I am a young teacher, and as a rule, I do not let a student friend me on Myspace or Facebook. When they graduate, I let them do facebook to keep in touch. In the past, I felt that students found their way into my private life and it made it very uncomfortable. Schools have email addresses to communicate.
As for texting, I work with many students on activities and sometimes they will text me, asking about events. I try to keep it very succinct, and do not let the conversation deviate. So far it has not been a problem, but I am cautious. I personally am worried about how things could appear to others, so I always think the worst.
CJS 07.21.08 at 9:47 pm
I think it’s alright I meen some people on there do blogs and it could be a way for teachers to give there students help at home or post the HW for that day on it incase the school dosen’t have it’s own site Say a student is stuck on something and there parents can’t help possibly other students are having the same issues and that student messages there teacher to tell them the issue and insted of simply replying to a single student she dose a lil blog thing and then other students can check back later and see and be helped that way with there HW that would be one way for Myspace to actually help teachers teach and messaging on myspace is the same as E-mailing so if your alright with them E-mailing then you should be fine with them messaging on myspace and finaly say a student is having family issues some students look to there teachers for advice or support finaly if some one’s on myspace and is under 18 there supposed to be monitored while using it which corse most parents are too lazy to do
Soccermom 07.21.08 at 10:30 pm
I know of a teacher who got into hot water from some parents when they read text messages he sent to a student. It caused some problems and he ended up being disciplined by the school administration. There are too many incidents of misbehavior by students and teachers that lead to dangerous liasons that are harmful on a number of levels. This school district might be avoiding potential danger down the line.
macio bell 07.22.08 at 1:06 am
It does seem to be a technological privilege,or modern day advantage to teaching and learning. Almost anything at our convieniance could potentially be abused. Hopefully not in this situation. Alot of times things start out with good intentions, and then corruption sets in. The one bad apple rule takes affect. But yes I think this would be a good help for students that may need the extra help. Intentions is key!
crazy 07.22.08 at 10:01 am
I don’t think its a good thing. I wouldn’t want my children texting back and forth with an adult. There are other ways to commuicate that seem to be safer and better then personal texts. It just becomes a gray area and that can get tricky to navigate when a teen could get the wrong impression.
bobm 07.22.08 at 10:13 am
Well K-L, you are a responsable adult and they let you blog with us! scary, huh??!
deweydevil 07.22.08 at 10:25 am
i like to twitter.
its kinda a one way thing with the phone…
Its also public in nature.
anyone wanna be a twit wit me?
dadeck already is!
NMT 07.22.08 at 11:18 am
Teacher and students communicating via text messages, facebook and myspace - no way.
Not appropriate.
If students need to talk to their teacher, need extra help, etc. - go see the teacher . . before or after school.
Kerri-Lee 07.22.08 at 2:39 pm
Thanks all for weighing in… I think a lot of valid points have been brought up here. Anyone else have a thought about this? I’m doing promos right now, I will blog in a bit… it’s been kind of crazy around here, as I’m sure you can all imagine. More later, KL
JT 07.22.08 at 3:52 pm
Comment by deweydevil on 22 July 2008:
i like to twitter.
its kinda a one way thing with the phone…
DEWEY !
I ain’t got one a them thar cellophones.
And I ain’t gettin’ one neither.
Thanks for the INvite, tho ‘.
deweydevil 07.22.08 at 3:58 pm
you can twitter from the web too…..
so many options!
JT 07.22.08 at 4:01 pm
Comment by Kerri-Lee on 22 July 2008:
Thanks all for weighing in… I think a lot of valid points have been brought up here. Anyone else have a thought about this?
I’m not a parent (to the best of my knowledge), but it seems to me that school boards and teacher associations and parents should look to minimize the minimize the potential for conflict.
I’ve had the pleasure to have known some dámn fine teachers in my day (even in my adult life when I wasn’t a student) and while there is a potential benefit to students, there is also a potential danger to students, their families, the teachers and the profession of teaching.
In my opinion, we need to err on the side of caution on this one.
JT 07.22.08 at 4:03 pm
Comment by Kerri-Lee on 22 July 2008:
… it’s been kind of crazy around here, as I’m sure you can all imagine.
Yeah, I can imagine.
It’s a FULL MOON !