This from the Washington Post – an article about teachers and the things they post to their Facebook pages. Another version of the “do you know your boss might look” theme. Obviously, the answer is “I didn’t think of that?” What, you didn’t think your students or the parents of your students might check to see if you have a Facebook account? While you were sleeping, this technology thing has caught on and you aren’t the only one who knows how to use it.
I know that some folks assume they can do and say what they want outside of school (at least learn how to limit access), but according to sources cited in the article:
Teachers caught with inappropriate Web sites could get a suspension for a first-time offense, said Michael Simpson, assistant general counsel for the National Education Association, a teachers union with more than 3 million members. If they can prove that no one at school complained about the page, then they might prevail in a personnel dispute “because there would be no evidence of any real or potential harm to the students or school,” he said.
If teachers claim free speech protection under the First Amendment, Simpson said, the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that governments can fire employees if their speech harmed the workplace’s mission and function.
