KIRKSVILLE, MO --
A new Missouri law will regulate the way teachers and students communicate.
One section of the law says that all school districts must have a policy in place by the first of the year regarding teacher-student communications.
The law says that "Teachers cannot have a nonwork-related website that allows exclusive access with a current or former student."
This is where the wording gets confusing.
There is debate on whether this means that students and teachers cannot be facebook friends at all.
State Representative Zachary Wyatt says he'd like to see the legislature revisit this section of the law because teachers wouldn't be allowed to friend their own relatives.
The Kirksville Superintendent is working with the Missouri School Board Association on developing a reasonable policy regarding social networking sites.
“It is a part of our educational program, with webpages and twitter and facebooks, those are valuable tools if used correctly, but obviously we need to define policies that give students and teachers guidance on the appropriate use,” said Pat Williams, Kirksville R-III Superintendent.
If a school district allows students and teachers to communicate on social networking sites, all conversations would have to be public.
On facebook, this means no personal messages or chatting. All teacher-student messages must be posted for all to see on the facebook wall, where school administrators and parents have access.
That could hinder the use of messaging or texting by coaches to let athletes know when practices are being held, or what time to meet at an event.
“I am confident that our teachers and coaches and whoever are utilizing emails or text messages are doing that appropriately but we want to be sure to make every effort to guarantee that that continues, plus develop written policy that even gives them specific guidance and language as to what's appropriate,” Williams said.
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