Social Media

Privacy

The degree to which private information is available

online and the anonymity the Internet seems to provide
has made students forget the need to filter the
information they post.

Mostdont constantly evaluate the content theyre

publishing online, which can bring about negative
consequences months or years down the road.
http://www.edudemic.com/social-media-education/

Code of conduct

Teachers should not befriend students on Facebook or other

social networking platforms. Befriending students can expose
you to unwanted contact and potentially leave yourself open
to allegations of inappropriate contact or conduct. Even if
you arent friends with students, Tweets and Facebook posts
can be viewed by anyone. (Including former students who
have not yet graduated.)

Teachers should ensure that any communication with

students, colleagues, parents, school management and others
is appropriate, including communication via electronic media,
such as e-mail, texting and social networking sites. (Use your
Wilkes County email account only.)

Code of Conduct

Photos and messages posted should be suitable for students to

see.

Treat all postings as public, because thats what social

networking sites are: public forums.

Sharing information
with others online can mean that you lose
http://www.webwise.ie/teachers/social-networking-advice-for-teachers-2/
control of it.

It is recommended that you do not befriend parents of your

students unless you have a relationship outside of school. Eg.
Church, scouts, dance, etc.

Out of your control

Social media posts cannot be completely deleted and all

information posted can have unintended consequences.1

Once you hit send or post, the content sent through social
media is no longer in your control. Posts can be
misconstrued, inflammatory, or just plain stupid.

http://socialnetworking.procon.org

Opinions

Dont post comments that could be considered defamatory or

in breach of copyright legislation.

Regularly check your profile to ensure it is free from

inappropriate comments and/or images.
http://newteachers.tes.co.uk/content/dont-let-facebook-harm-your-career

Posting inappropriate things about your boss, co-workers, or

your students is a breach of confidentiality, unprofessional,
and potentially job threatening.

Rants about your personal life should be kept private and not
posted on social media to protect your professional integrity.

WCS Policy

All staff will model and promote ethical use of technology.

Acceptable
Employees

Use/Internet Safety Policy 3225/7320

are to maintain an appropriate relationship with

students at all times. Having a public personal website or
online networking profile or allowing access to a private
website or private online networking profile is considered a
form of direct communications with students. Employees
are encouraged to block students from viewing any material
or profiles that are not age appropriate.

WCS Policy

Any employee found to have created and/or posted

inappropriate content on a website or profile that has a
negative impact on the employees ability to perform their
job as it relates to working with students will be subject to
discipline, up to and including dismissal. This section
applies to all employees, volunteers and student teachers
working for or in the Wilkes County School System.

Social Accounts

Minimum age requirement for Facebook, Twitter,

Instagram, Pintrest, Tumblr, Kik and Snapchat accounts is
13.

For Vine, Tinder, and Yik Yak minimum age is 17.

YouTube requires account holders to be 18, but a 13-year

old can sign up with parents permission.
http://huffingtonpost.com

When kids are bored

Kids will Google/Bing/Facebook/MySpace you. Anything a little bit

embarrassing they will show parents and other teachers.

Even the most innocent of pictures can cause problems. Eg.

Naked male torsos following an Iron Man competition. Photo of
you at the beach. Photos in which you appear to be drinking. Kids
will show each other and it will spread like wildfire.

Photos tagged with your name on someone elses page can be

misconstrued.

If a photo of you has been tagged, you should attempt to get the
photo removed or amended. Keep proof of your attempts to get
the site holder to remove photo.

Untag yourself from photos on friends pages that could be

considered inappropriate.
http://newteachers.tes.co.uk/content/dont-let-facebook-harm-your-career

Productivity

Social networks entice people to waste time. When alerted to a new

Tweet or FB post, the average return time to the original task is 20-25
minutes.

Social media can harm job stability and employment prospects. Posts
with negative reactions include:

Profanity 61%

Poor spelling or grammar 54%

Illegal drugs 78%

Sexual content 66%

Photos of or with alcohol 47%

Social Media causes people to spend less time interacting face-to-face.

51% of people aged 25-34 access social media while at work during
work hours.
http://socialnetworking.procon.org

Productivity

Social networking sites facilitate cyberbullying. Adults can also be

victims of cyberbullying, from social media, familial, or workplace
aggression being displayed on social media.

Social networking sites encourage amateur advice leading to harmful

or life-threatening results.

Criminals use social media to commit and promote crimes. Online

crime, like home robberies, may result from posting personal
information such as vacation plans or posting while on vacation.

Social media can facilitate inappropriate student-teacher

relationships. During the 2014 school year, Texas opened 179 cases of
inappropriate relationships between educators and students.

We say and do things on social media and cell phones that we

wouldnt say and do in person. Pamela Casey, District Attorney,
Alabama
http://socialnetworking.procon.org

Do not post this on Twitter or any

other social media.

Drinking in a photo even if youre over 21.

Complaining about your job.

Posting while youre supposed to be working.

Making fun of your boss/team.

Making fun of clients or donors.

Talking smack about a job before youve even accepted it.

Blowing your own cover.

Revealing company secrets.

Sexual oversharing.

Posting something embarrassing on the corporate Twitter feed.

http://time.com/money/3019899/10-facebook-twitter-mistakes-lost-job-millennials-viral

http://mashable.com/2011/06/16/weinergate-social-media-job-loss/#N9piVhRYXOqB

Teacher fired for

http://community.edb.utexas.edu/socialmedia/node/61

Teachers

are held to a higher standard than the average citizen. Everything regarding our social media should reflect
professionalism and integrity.

If

youre not sure, show your Facebook page to your mom. If shes got any concerns or problems, then so do you.
D. Simpson, NEA Office of General Counsel

Michael

If

How to use Social Media

If you choose to use Social Media like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or

Pinterest in the classroom. This link provides excellent resources and guides
for you.