Should Teachers and Students Connect Through Social Media?
September 9, 2019
By: Amelia Harper
Source: Education Dive
Studies show that 50% of students have social media accounts by age 12 and 83% of students have their own cell phone by the time they reach middle school. But allowing teachers and students to connect with one another through social media opens the door to inappropriate relationships and potential abuse, eSchool News reports.
The problem is especially concerning as 70% of teens, according to research, tend to hide their online activity from parents through various apps designed for the purpose, a factor that child sexual abusers tend to use to their advantage, the article said.
To prevent potential abuse or questionable relationships between students and teachers, experts recommend that school districts only allow contact between teachers and students through district electronic platforms and only on district-provided devices that restrict access to social media apps. They also recommend that school districts prohibit teachers and students from communicating through calls, texts, personal email accounts, or social media, and that teachers avoid posting inappropriate images or personal information on public social media accounts.