Missouri Bans Student/Teacher Facebook Friendships

Illegal is a bit harsh, but I would personally never friend any of my professors perhaps until after I graduated and we became colleagues. I feel it violates the student-teacher relationship in an inappropriate way.

What if you were already friends before they became your teacher/student? What if you're in the same church group, book club, or other kind of group? This is ridiculous.

I'm a teacher, although for a nonprofit, not a high school, but most of my students are street children who are high school aged. I'm Facebook friends with any of them who have Facebook. It's a good way for me to extend my reach as a role model outside of the classroom. And other than parents, teachers are usually among the largest adult influences on kids' lives. I can see how Facebook friendships could be used for abuse, but that doesn't mean it should be illegal. Make inappropriate communications illegal, sure. But don't ban Facebook friendships.

I have the government already telling me enough of, what I can/can't do.
Do I really need them to dictate more?
Adults can do as they please, it is up to the parents to follow closely, or give them guidelines to follow, when they are using social media.
As a junior high school teacher, I would never entertain the idea of giving access by my students to my Facebook account. One picture, or comment taken in the wrong context, is not worth a chance I could face a reprimand by the divisional administration, or losing my job.
I have my own friends and would not turn to my students in that role.

It's illegal in Louisiana, too. As a teacher, I've had lots of friend requests from students, but I always turn them down. However, I know lots of teachers who don't. It's just too risky for me! All it takes to ruin a career an accusation, and facebook would make it all too easy for a student to bolster a false claim.

I agree with kelly6029. The government needs to stop sticking its nose in everyone's business.
However, I feel facebook is a very useful method for communicating, especially with large groups of people (like a class!). And I feel that by being facebook friends with their students, teachers make their relationships more public.
It should be up to parents and teachers if they want to take that risk.

I don't know about illegal, but it isn't a good idea. Maintain a relationship through a website with a wiki or use a staff e-mail, but not facebook. Aside from all the comments about covering your own behind, the students would also want to consider that fact. As a teacher, are you not obligated to report any inappropriate behaviour of students? You don't want to know those things, or you would have to get involved.
There are lots of other apps that allow to you address and interact with groups of students.

I'm not sure why the state felt it necessary to take a stance but it would make sense if the individual schools made the decision I wouldn't be against it.

I work in a hotel and we have a very strict 'no friends' policy w/our guests. We are not allowed to friend a guest on Facebook past/present-non negotiable. It serves as a barrier between us and the guest for both parties protection.

I understand the idea of wanting to be a role model but also what about the adult jokes/commentary my friends and I will produce-sort of takes away from your ability to partake in those since you'll be busy making sure your content is kid friendly.

Not surprised. My high school teachers told us we weren't allowed to friend them until we had graduated; my Spanish teacher actually had two facebook accounts: a normal one and one for her students to friend!

I think it's a great idea. If a teacher doesn't have enough common senseto know this is a good idea, then it should be enforced. It's excellent protection for kids against teachers who are sexual predators.

When I train new employees, I don't accept any friend requests until after training is finished. It's not appropriate between adults in those circumstances, and it's certainly not appropriate between teachers and students.

I don't see the point of preventing the teachers to communicate with their student with a specific computer program.

They're just going to use google+ or any other social media (or any other method of communication) in their back anyway.

Yup, I think it should be illegal. There's no reason for a teacher to set up a private social network account with a student that can't be monitored by school authorities. If they need to inform students about homework, projects, etc., they can create a public FB page solely devoted to their class activities, like any normal professional would do for their work.

On the other hand, whether the law is struck down or not is probably gonna depend on other factors besides student safety. For example, it will probably be struck down based on 1A free speech rights or the right to practice a profession (i.e., the right to teach).

See also: http://lawblog.legalmatch.com/2011/08/12/student-teacher-facebook-ban-raises-constitutional-concerns-2/