On Monday, the New York City Department of Education published its first set of guidelines for the use of social media, underscoring the importance for teachers and staff to keep a clear distinction between the use of their personal and professional accounts.
"In an increasingly digital world, we seek to provide our students with the opportunities that multi-media learning can provide—which is why we should allow and encourage the appropriate and accepted use of these powerful resources," schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott said in an e-mail to principals, according to the Journal.
Mainly, teachers are expected to use common sense: inappropriate offline behavior would also be inappropriate online. However, teachers are being told that their interactions with students on professional social networking services will be monitored and that there is "no expectation of privacy," and that administrators and officials should have access to the professional accounts.
Starting this month, New York City will begin training sessions with teachers and will highlight "best practices."
Social media practices across educational institutions have been a mixed bag. The Associated Press reported last month that "at least 40 school districts nationwide have approved social media policies." They added that "Schools in New York City and Florida have disciplined teachers for Facebook activity, and Missouri legislators recently acquiesced to teachers' objections to a strict statewide policy."
Just this week, a school district in Delaware proposed new social media rules that would require teachers to unfriend students. Meanwhile, the Portland, Maine school district is now banning all social networking, chat sites, forums, and other sites from state-provided laptops.
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