s/o teachers on pinterest

Court0026 · August 2014

So I am going back to teaching after 4.5 years. The kids are back Sept 4 and the Board was meeting tonight to approve the last of the changes/new hires/etc. I can't help it they waited this long. It has been painful. Anyway, I don't have files or a class list or anything and I got a Facebook message from a parent who called the school, got my name and was kind of annoyed that I hadn't sent out a supply list. Listen, I don't blame her, and I sent back a really friendly email that didn't throw the district or myself under the bus, but I was like, wow. That didn't take long! I keep things about as private on there as I thought I needed to, but isn't there a "not searchable" feature? That might be helpful.

lexusolsen · August 2014

diapersnwipes said:
I can't believe she would do that. I *might* contact you like 2 days before school starts if I haven't heard anything, but I'm going to do it on your school phone or email, not through FB. Weirdo.

I'm not searchable on FB. I clicked no for every single option that had anything to do with being searchable.

I have mine on lock down too! I'm pretty sure that you have more privacy options to adjust when you log in on a computer than on a mobile device.

I would not respond. In my district, you could get in huge trouble for violating the social media policy by not keeping district business in the district email system.

LoveBeingMama · August 2014

lexusolsen said:

diapersnwipes said:
I can't believe she would do that. I *might* contact you like 2 days before school starts if I haven't heard anything, but I'm going to do it on your school phone or email, not through FB. Weirdo.

I'm not searchable on FB. I clicked no for every single option that had anything to do with being searchable.
I have mine on lock down too! I'm pretty sure that you have more privacy options to adjust when you log in on a computer than on a mobile device.

I would not respond. In my district, you could get in huge trouble for violating the social media policy by not keeping district business in the district email system.

This. I would bring it to the attention of the principal. Let them explain to parents how to appropriately contact teachers.

dizzycooks · August 2014

I had a parent / student not sure which, contact me via fb about another teacher. It went in my "other" folder and I never saw it since I'm mostly mobile. It didn't even have a name attached to it just a phone number. My fb info is pretty hard to search, I've had close friends not find me when they are looking so how this dingbat got through is beyond me. I'd ignore it, maybe that's unprofessional, but they can't be certain it's really you.

spring_time · August 2014

auroraloo said:

Facebook recently changed it so that everyone is searchable, FYI.

I would change your name to something less identifieable. Add a period in your name, drop your last name, etc. Now, everyone is searchable through FB, and so they can see at least your name and cover photo.

You CAN change it so that only friends or friends of friends can send you messages though.

And this is the problem. Once we start thinking it is ok for parents to search and check up on their child's teacher, the next step is for parents to think it is ok to communicate with them in that manner. Is it ok for parents to send messages over the summer, weekends, vacations, middle of the night??? What happens if they see that the teacher is online, and has not responded to their message? I can't imagine that going well.

The OP is not doing anything inappropriate on her Facebook (I assume). She should be able to have old friends search for her and find her. Just because she is a teacher, she should not have to live a life of anonymity on Facebook. There should be a level of decorum which makes a parent stop and question whether or not it is appropriate to search for and contact their child's teacher over social media.

Phone numbers have always been readily available, and public information. Should parents call teachers at home when they need information? It's out there. Teachers had to approve their number being listed. That must mean that parents can call whenever they have a question.

@Court0026, did you give any sort of indication that her communication with you is inappropriate? I would have said something along the lines of "I am sorry, but it is my policy to not communicate with parents or students over social media. In the future, if you would like information, please contact me through district channels (phone or email). I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday."

notkateanymore · August 2014

cjcouple said:

oh and I don't even think it's that big a deal there is no supply list yet. we always get ours the first week of school. what's the rush for parents you know?

Sales? We always get ours from the school but I know a lot of people like to buy them on tax free weekend, so there is that. Btw, looking at a Pinterest page and sending a bitchy note via FB are not comparable.

spring_time · August 2014

notkateanymore said:

cjcouple said:

oh and I don't even think it's that big a deal there is no supply list yet. we always get ours the first week of school. what's the rush for parents you know?

Sales? We always get ours from the school but I know a lot of people like to buy them on tax free weekend, so there is that. Btw, looking at a Pinterest page and sending a bitchy note via FB are not comparable.

It is a slippery slope. Most people have an inner voice that tells them that sending the note is going one step too far and is inappropriate. However, as people become more and more comfortable with social media, less people have that filter. Once that first step is taken, taking that next step doesn't seem like too much of a stretch.

Also, aren't there general things that are needed every year? Couldn't the mom make a pretty good educated guess at the majority of supplies needed? My DS is not in elementary school yet, but when I taught, the list was not really rocket science. Glue, pencils, crayons, pencil box, safety scissors, hand sanitizer, dry erase markers, Kleenex. The lists were kind of standard across the board with a few variations. I don't know, though. Maybe some teachers are very specific?

spring_time · August 2014

cjcouple said:

spring_time said:

auroraloo said:

Facebook recently changed it so that everyone is searchable, FYI.

I would change your name to something less identifieable. Add a period in your name, drop your last name, etc. Now, everyone is searchable through FB, and so they can see at least your name and cover photo.

You CAN change it so that only friends or friends of friends can send you messages though.

And this is the problem. Once we start thinking it is ok for parents to search and check up on their child's teacher, the next step is for parents to think it is ok to communicate with them in that manner. Is it ok for parents to send messages over the summer, weekends, vacations, middle of the night??? What happens if they see that the teacher is online, and has not responded to their message? I can't imagine that going well.

The OP is not doing anything inappropriate on her Facebook (I assume). She should be able to have old friends search for her and find her. Just because she is a teacher, she should not have to live a life of anonymity on Facebook. There should be a level of decorum which makes a parent stop and question whether or not it is appropriate to search for and contact their child's teacher over social media.

Phone numbers have always been readily available, and public information. Should parents call teachers at home when they need information? It's out there. Teachers had to approve their number being listed. That must mean that parents can call whenever they have a question.

@Court0026, did you give any sort of indication that her communication with you is inappropriate? I would have said something along the lines of "I am sorry, but it is my policy to not communicate with parents or students over social media. In the future, if you would like information, please contact me through district channels (phone or email). I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday."

I just think you will always have those "parents" no matter what the current acceptable communication means are that will cross the line.

I guarantee, there have been teachers that have unlisted their phone numbers from parents trying to call them. But you also will have teachers that will prefer to be reached on their cell #'s. I have had more than one teacher leave their personal numbers for me to call them back.

My niece in high school has teachers tell their students to call, email, text them if they have issues with the homework. They want it done and don't want any excuses why it was not completed.

This is true, but the teacher has willingly given out their information.

My high school English teacher gave us her home address because papers were due at midnight. She set a box outside her house to drop them off, and she pulled it in at midnight. Of course, this was before the internet :P I am old!!!

hlm184 · August 2014

This is why I changed my FB name and go by my middle name instead of my last.

The problem happens if you are friends with your coworkers and friend them on facebook and they are searchable...etc etc.

So glad I don't have to deal with this anymore.

orangegoggles · August 2014

Yea I also don't get why parents get up in arms about the school supply list so early. The later you buy, the better the sales typically. Also, you don't need every single thing for the first day of school and if you're an elementary school parent isn't it a given that you will need gluesticks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.?

babym6705 · August 2014

I don't use my real name on FB. I made a nickname for this reason. I also wouldn't acknowledge the message. It's probably bitchy, but I have learned when you give an inch with parents, they take a mile. If they have a question, they should contact you through your school email or school phone number. Again, I'm probably a little bitchy, but it's not appropriate and if the roles were flipped, say you sent a parent progress information via FB, I'm sure they would find it inappropriate too. I just realized how much I don't miss teaching, well the parents anyways, lol.

Court0026 · August 2014

The saddest part of it all is that there was a tiny part of me that was happy a parent was showing interest. The school district I work in has a big issue in lack of parent involvement at some of their schools (lack of consistent phone number, lack of car, lack of understanding, lack of interest, literacy issues, etc.). THAT SAID, it totally shocked me and later in the day she found my email on the school website and also emailed me at work. I did tell her that she could contact me anytime at my school email. At least she didn't send me a friend request

id012 · August 2014

All my friends that are teachers just use there 1st and middle name. Or even swap there middle name and first name. Maybe try that?

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