Yesterday, August 19, 2011, Missouri State Teacher's Association (MSTA) along with 5 individual plaintiffs, filed a lawsuit against the State of Missouri, Governor Jay Nixon and Attorney General Chris Koster over Senate Bill 54 which prohibits communication of social media sites between teachers and students.
The big news to my friends and family- I am one of the 5 plaintiffs. Many people are asking "Why is MSTA suing the State?" My question is WHY AREN'T YOU?
Let me start off by saying that I am not friends with any students in my district that have not graduated. Partly because of my professional standing but also partly because I left high school many (not many... ok maybe a few more than I would care to admit) years ago and am not interested in having my news feed filled with the likes of high school drama. However, I still feel that is my right to make that decision.
I have some issues with this bill and if you do not know much about it, please read on. It is a personal struggle to constantly face laws and standards that are passed by people who have never stepped into a classroom and or received any input from teachers. (I do not tell truck drivers how to drive even if I do think some are not good at it and I do not tell investment bankers where to spend their money even though I question their investments or lack there of.)
This bill/law needs a teacher. The language is so vague that there are many people standing around scratching their heads. What can we do, what is not allowed seems to be the questions. If I were to give instruction to my class on an assignment as vague as this, the state would see to it I was fired because my students' achievement tests would show no mastery because they would be at a loss. (Send me to Congress and I promise I will make sure that a law is clear and understandable as they should be. Speed limits are easy enough to understand and we obey those-- for the most part!)
This law also makes it completely unclear about friending family. This includes our own children. How am I (when the time comes) to monitor my own children's fb (or any other social media interactions) without friending them. Are you telling me that I have to sacrifice my good parenting skills so that I can be a good teacher? I could always prohibit my son from having a fb account but is that fair to him? He did not sign up to be a teacher so why should he be punished?
There is also the Youth Ministers who are also teachers. They no longer have the same access to their congregation. Of course they could always call but the fact remains that a student is more likely to answer their fb messages than a voicemail. This law does not block communications of current students. This blocks it from all current students in any district that you have taught in. I taught 2nd grade 5 years ago in Potosi for 1 year. I have a friend whose son is a student at Potosi (he was not even in that district when I taught there) who will have to be deleted because he is currently a student in a previous school I taught in.
What is even more amazing is that there are Senators who are supporting this even after the pleas of miscommunication and misunderstanding. When I give bad directions in my classroom, I regroup and try again, I do not fail all of them because they did not understand it. Of course, I can admit when I am wrong. (Even if my husband disagrees!)
Here is also an interesting fact. Sexual predators have no stipulations on them when it comes to social media sites. I work with kids everyday. I have their best interest at heart and my life is centered around making sure they are successful human beings. I offer no harm to them but I am now deemed worse than a sexual predator? Thank you Missouri State Government for showing me the respect owed for being an educator-promoting tomorrow's leaders! (No thanks needed I am assuming!)
Do I believe that bad situations have happened? Yes. Are we all bad and should we all suffer? I will let you answer that. If that is the case, I have a few requests.
Some Senators make bad choices too. Some break the law and use their power to try and get out of it. Does that mean they all do? Some are arrogant and do not listen to their constituents because they are on a power trip? Does that mean they all do? Some are lazy? Are they all?
http://www.senate.mo.gov/11info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=4066479 Read Section 162.069
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