A Neutral Stance: Facebook and Teacher Censorship

Last week AJC's Get Schooled blog posted an entry concerning a growing problem among teachers, as well as other working individuals -- Facebook (FB). Currently, the social network giant boasts at least 500 million users. Despite its enormous popularity, in recent months, FB has been in hot water since it sold out for a buck at the expense of users' privacy. As the number of users increase exponentially each year since its inception over six years ago, the more tempting it became for greedy corporate advertisers to use users' personal information -- voluntary and involuntary -- to make a profit. FB betrayed its following by permitting these greedy fools access to users' personal information, even without the users' content. Now, FB has compromised users' privacy for a buck. In addition, not only corporations are using privileged information to make money, but they are using that information against FB users. Many employers are using their FB access to research potential future employees and weed out unfavorable job applicants. Of course, this process is highly subjective, which makes it worse for FB users. However, using some common sense can go along way in protecting you for a bad perception.

With us teachers, our FB problems are two-folded; not only can school districts can access the information on your FB profile prejudge you before hiring you, but also they can use that same information to fire you as well. In recent years, there has been an increasing numbers of teachers who have been terminated for displaying "inappropriate" information on their FB profiles, ranging from what is said in their FB statuses to what is on their posted pictures. So many teachers have become more reluctant to be themselves on this social network. Is this censorship toward teachers justified?

A part of me says no. Every public school teacher I have encountered have been 21 years old or older; hence, they are legal adults and they should embraced their freedoms, as long as they don't do anything illegal or offensive to the masses. Such infractions are small in numbers compared to the what nots. However, if a teacher post a picture of himself/herself having an alcoholic drink on FB, the public will prematurely believe that the teacher is a bondafide drunk? Are you serious? Or if a female teacher likes to dress provocatively outside of the job and has posted several pictures of herself dressing as such, is she consider promiscuous? C'mon man! That's passing judgment prematurely. If the pictures displayed are problematic, then what one says on his/her FB statuses. Some people used FB to "release" their frustrations regarding various things, including what goes on at work. To a certain degree, in my opinion, it is a good thing. It is better to let it out than hold it all in; however, there are other means of releasing your stress than doing so in FB.

Hence, a part of me says yes. Whether we like it or not, we are public servants and 24-7 role models, at least this is the underwritten rule for teachers to the public at large. Consequently, we can be and will be scrutinized for our actions, words, thoughts, and deeds. In the Get Schooled blog I referenced earlier, the teacher in question was terminated for her unfavorable comments about one of her students in her FB status. The student's parents stumbled upon her status and the rest is history. When I was teaching, I vented on FB about my frustrations on many occasions; however, I was carefully not to use proper nouns to imply anyone, anyplace, or anything specific. To me, that's common sense, because I rarely think about privacy issues. One of my friends reminded me a few days ago that "they don't call it the WORLD WIDE WEB for nothing"; he was so on point with his comment. However, I am learning to be mindful of what I put out there for the world to see. Besides, if students can be held accountable for the content in their FB postings, why not teachers?

Those who knows me personally know that I am a bonafide FB-holic. I am highly active on FB daily, especially since I am currently umemployed. I live interacting and reconnecting with others, revealing information and news with my numerous linked postings, debating issues, and sharing ideas and viewpoints on various topics.While I do have a life outside of FB, the social network site can be just freaking addictive. Perhaps this is the reason why so many people are still using FB, regardless of their positions on its privacy issues or lack thereof. Nevertheless, the reality is folks need to remember this: what is published on the Internet becomes accessible to the unknown masses and it become fair game for public perception. So, regarding FB, do you, yet be careful.