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Suspended Teacher in Facebook Incident Ignites Debate: Should Online Privacy for Educators Exist?

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 11/19/08

According to the attorney for a Charlotte, North Carolina teacher suspended for a comment made on her Facebook page, the postings were intended to be read only by friends to whom she granted access. In an article published Friday by The Charlotte Observer, attorney John Gresham is quoted as saying, "Facebook pages are only meant to be viewed by people permitted to see them." He questioned how the private postings became public and whether "it was appropriate for a reporter to air private postings."

The suspension occurred after a Charlotte television news station did a search on the social networking site for people who identified themselves as staff members of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

The unidentified teacher, who teaches at Thomasboro Elementary School, which has 94 percent of its students in the free lunch program, wrote in her Facebook page, "I am teaching in the most ghetto school in Charlotte."

Four other teachers in the district are also being disciplined for statements and photos posted to their Facebook pages.

The incident has generated a discussion among teachers, parents, administrators, and privacy advocates regarding free speech for teachers, what district policy should be allowed to mandate about teachers' involvements in social networking sits, and the definition of what's really private in online settings.

Among comments made to The Charlotte Observer article, several posters suggested that firing was too harsh a punishment for the Thomasboro teacher.

"The teacher probably didn't understand the privacy settings on her Facebook account. Information you post can be either publicly viewable or something that is just seen by your friends. She probably thought what she was posting was private, but left the default settings on to let everyone see your profile," commented BluNews. "A lot of people unknowingly do this. That said, the teacher messed up and certainly diminished her ability to teach her kids. I'm not sure if firing her is the right thing to do, but she should be disciplined. Also, I doubt this is the last time we'll hear about something like this. School systems should set policy on issues like this and warn teachers that negative postings about their jobs could lead to disciplinary actions."

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a writer who covers technology and business. Send your higher education technology news to her at dian@dischaffhauser.com.

Comments

Tue, Jan 26, 2010

so, she made the comment, how about fixing the community and the economy so it won't be the ghetto anymore??? How about addressing that? People are really upset b/c she called it the ghetto, not because she posted the comment. come on, Improve the pay and the authority of teachers, and they won't feel the need to complain about their environment. Give them back authority and respect that they used to have, that we dumbly took from them. Make the children behave and appreciate their right to an education, and the teachers won't mind if they are in a bad neighborhood, they will enjoy their jobs again.

Tue, Jan 26, 2010 Brandi Rose

this teacher should of put her page privet

Tue, Jan 26, 2010 melinda school

all i am going to say is that the teacher got what she dersves.....

Fri, Dec 4, 2009

Erie, Pa...The last sentence is your comment is total bullcrap!!! Nobody can say or write anything these days without others complaining or whining about it.

Fri, Nov 27, 2009 Erie, PA

Teacher or not, you should not post anything to FACEBOOK or any other social networking site that you wouldn't mind other people reading. You never know who is gaining access. If you wouldn't say it to a child, don't post it; if you wouldn't say it to your parent, don't post it; if you wouldn't say it to your spouse, don't post it! If you want to make a private statement, meet someone for lunch or make a phone call. The school district is totally within rights to terminate the employee, unfortunately.

Tue, Nov 24, 2009

People! Don't we have bigger fish to fry? The Woman makes a private comment about a school and suddenly the Charlotte School Board amongst many other bleeding heart liberal teachers want to skin her alive. What next? Teacher's in uniforms? Perhaps a change to the Pledge? How much power does local government get over the teacher? Where does it stop, or does it? Frankly, what is the real issue here? Is it demanding teacher perfection or giving local governments and BHLs the authority to change the laws of what was once our land? As one teacher to another teacher. I beleive the time is here to stick together and nevermind this kind of petty stuff. We need to look at the bigger picture and work with what we have and we need to do what is right for the wide range of human citizens our Americanized school's embrace. Remember, nobody is twisting anyone's arm to be an American or to be an American teacher. Like it or not, we must accept everybody in America, even those who "SPEAK" and state their mind. We need to build the self esteem of the poor who come from econimically deprived environments, we must love the tax-exempt non-citizens who get free educations and free and reduced lunches at the price of exempting our brightest students, and so on. God Bless America and I am Proud to be an American Christian who says "In God We Trust" YO! What chah Gona do bout dat?

Mon, Nov 16, 2009

The whole things sounds like an invasion of privacy. Free of speech is our right. Our Amendments are broke everyday but our government. Is the school boards any better? No. She stated an opinion and thats all it is. What the hell is going on when we get punished for stating our opinions. When we get in trouble for it its stupid. We dont have rights anymore. We are supposed to be the freeist country. Yeah right!! I support her. You make all the comments you want.

Thu, Nov 12, 2009

she deserves more than just suspension. i mean teachers are supposed to be well socialized individuals.Gone are the days when a teacher could be held in high esteem. Now I'm training to become a teacher and her dilemma just makes me feel aweful.

Thu, Oct 1, 2009

I guess the 1st Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America does not apply to teachers. "Ghetto" the term, like much slang, has many meanings and possible interpretations. I think any punishment harsher than a conference with administration is blowing this particular case way out proportion. Is there a teachers' union in N.Carolina??? Doubt it.

Fri, Aug 28, 2009

You cannot believe the crazy statements I have heard and my children have heard from educators. However, we all have to remember that they are human. She used poor judgement in her comments, but I don't think it should be grounds for dismissal. Her comment was tame in comparison to some that I have heard. She should be put on a "plan," or sent to cultural sensitivity training, but firing her seems a little harsh.

Sat, Aug 15, 2009

I think the thing that people forget is that we have freedom of speech in this country, we fought and died for it. Her statement on facebook is an opinion and every one has one. The only time it is sinful to state one is when some one gets angry over what was said.She has made her life difficult because she is now judged and so working will be hard on her. There is really no greater punishment the what a person can give to themselves.She will need to start her professional life all over again, that is punishment enough.

Thu, Aug 13, 2009

I think they did the correct thing by punishing her. I am a teacher and I also have facebook, but I think that we should be held to different standards than some other professionals because we are supposed to be role models for children and for the community. Anything you post on the internet is not going to be private, no matter what. People need to be aware of this and not post things that they wouldn't want the whole world to know. That goes along with telling something to someone. If you do not want it to be known, or you think it might be something that could come back to get you, you should keep it to yourself. I am tired of going into schools and seeing teachers gossip and complain about their jobs. If you don't like it, then why did you go into the profession and why did you not research the school before accepting a position there?

Thu, Aug 13, 2009

I think they did the correct thing by punishing her. I am a teacher and I also have facebook, but I think that we should be held to different standards than some other professionals because we are supposed to be role models for children and for the community. Anything you post on the internet is not going to be private, no matter what. People need to be aware of this and not post things that they wouldn't want the whole world to know. That goes along with telling something to someone. If you do not want it to be known, or you think it might be something that could come back to get you, you should keep it to yourself. I am tired of going into schools and seeing teachers gossip and complain about their jobs. If you don't like it, then why did you go into the profession and why did you not research the school before accepting a position there?

Fri, Jun 26, 2009

ALL I WANT TO SAY..............I HAVE TAUGHT AT A LOT OF GHETTO SCHOOLS TOO. AND I HAVE LOVED EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL BECAUSE THE PARENTS AND STUDENTS ARE R E A L PEOPLE AND THEY HAVE LIVED A VERY HARD LIFE FROM THE MOMENT THEY CAME INTO THIS WORLD. I WANT TO, ALSO, SAY......LEAVE THIS POOR TEACHER WHO MADE THE COMMENT ALONE.....I NO LONGER HAVE THE DESIRE TO TEACH PUBLIC SCHOOL IN NORTH CAROLINA BECAUSE OF PETTY CRAP LIKE THIS. WE HAVE FREE SPEECH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA......DO WE NOT? PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED AND NOW IT IS EVEN TOLERATED TO KISS, DATE, AND EVEN MARRY THE SAME SEX.....ARE THOSE TEACHERS' BEING DISCIPLINED???? AND I WAS TAUGHT IN MY BIBLE CLASS....YES IT WAS IN A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.....WAY BACK IN THE 80'S THAT WOMAN WITH WOMAN AND MEN WITH MEN WAS THE SIN OF ALL SINS. BUT I KNOW MANY GAY TEACHERS....??? I FEEL HALF OF THE PEOPLE WORK AT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION NEEDS TO BE SUSPENDED OR FIRED FOR HAVING TEACHERS' TEACH TO THE EOG TESTS...DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THAT TOPIC!

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