Rant
Friending Your Child's Teacher on Facebook Is a Really Bad Idea
Many of us meet our children’s teachers and hit it off. Quite frequently the teachers are in our same age group and may even have students in the same school. It’s very easy for the line between teacher and friend to become blurred, especially if you are a room mother or spend a lot of time in the classroom volunteering. But should you ever be friends with your child’s teacher on Facebook or other social media sites?
No matter the situation, the answer is the same ...
Hell, no!
It may seem like a great idea at first. Who doesn’t secretly want to know what their child’s teacher is up to in her time off. I think we’d all like to know indefinitely that our child’s teacher is beyond moral reproach, and what’s more convincing than a Facebook page filled with statuses of Bible versus or photos of her children playing quietly while Mommy reads her Bible study?
But let's not forget, if you can see everything Teacher is up to, she can see everything you're up to as well. Do you really want Mrs. McGillicutty of the second grade to know all of your personal business?
My girls go to a private Catholic school and I'm pretty sure no teacher would find my pro-choice Facebook statuses to be a good thing. At school, I present myself as a well-intentioned room mother who volunteers her time and talents wherever and whenever the school might have a need. I am an upstanding member of the school community and HASA. I work hard to keep this image at school. It serves me well.
I don’t need Mrs. McGillicutty seeing a wall post from my college roomie in reference to the girl she knew back then drinking too much at a frat party and vomiting in the quad. I don’t want the school faculty finding my blog.
Not to mention, what my daughter’s 25-year-old teacher does when she’s outside of the classroom (as long as it doesn’t involve the authorities or spill over into the classroom) isn't really my business. I think it’s best for everyone if we keep our relationship professional. If there is truly a friendship there, we can become Facebook friends when my kid is no longer her student.
Would you friend your child’s teacher on social media?
Image via Marco Pako/Flickr
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TKsMommie
I have friended one of my kids' teachers. But since being my son's teacher she has become one of my closest friends. The day he walked into her classroom was great for both of us!!
EvalynCarnate
I wouldnt friend my kid's teacher...but thats not to say I "pretend" I'm some one I'm not when I'm in front of her either. The parent, teacher relationship should remain as professional (for lack of a better word) as possible in my opinion. Of course, there are always exceptions..
billsfan1104
kaerae
sigh
Pamala
GlowWorm889
As a teacher, I would never friend my student parents. One, it's none of their business what I do in my private time (though I lead a pretty boring life...I doubt there would be any complaints) and none of my business what you do in your private life unless it threatens your child's safety (teachers are mandatory reporters of child abuse). Two, it's unprofessional. Three, it undermines my professional authority when a parent assumes that becaue we're "buddy-buddy" I'd show their child special favor.
GlowWorm889
*students'
Thesimpletruth
Todd Vrancic
I think I'd worry if I found my way to my kids' teachers' facebook pages and found an endless stream of bible quotes, especially if they taught science!