Controversy is growing in Missouri over a new law that limits interaction between teachers and students on Facebook and other social media websites. While most parents are concerned with how their children use the internet, does that concern extend to communication with teachers? Legislators in Missouri have voted that it should.
Senate Bill 54, the Amy Hestir Protection Act, goes into effect on August 28th. Republican State Senator Jane Cunningham, one of the bill’s sponsors, explained to The Huffington Post that the main purpose of the 35-page legislation is to prevent teachers who are sex offenders from applying to work in districts without full disclosure. The law is named for Amy Hestir, a Missouri student who was repeatedly assaulted by a middle school teacher who taught in several different school districts in the state.
Buried within SB54 are two sentences that have earned the bill the nickname “The Facebook Law.” This section of the law states that teachers can only use work-related Internet sites if those sites are accessible to school administrators and to the parents / legal guardians of students. It also states that teachers cannot communicate with current or former students using non-work-related websites that allow exclusive access. According to Cunningham, “Exclusive communication is a pathway into sexual misconduct.”
Social media websites are widely used by students as a “one-stop shop” for online communication. When social media is integrated with the classroom experience, students gain real-world experience in using technology to pursue education outside the classroom. Critics of the new law believe that it will severely limit the use of technology as an educational tool. Besides the restrictions in how Facebook can be used, students will no longer be able to ask teachers questions or discuss assignments using instant messaging. If teachers and students use email, it will be with the knowledge that their messages can be read by school administrators and parents. Many questions remain how the law will be enforced.
State Representative Chris Kelly, another one of the bill’s sponsors, spoke to NPR about the new restrictions. While teachers and students cannot be Facebook friends (since this allows private communication), they will still be able to communicate publicly on the wall of a Facebook fan page. Kelly told NPR that the ACLU and teachers unions approved the bill before it became law. However, the ACLU of Easter Missouri disputes Kelly’s claim of support, telling NPR that they have taken an official stand against the bill because it is unconstitutional.
Education experts say that teachers who are accessible and available for their students are more effective. Cheri Simonds, a communications professor at Illinois State University, has completed research showing that social media improves students’ cognitive learning and motivation. Once the Missouri law goes into effect, Simonds expressed concern that it may cause teachers to stop communicating with students outside the classroom. This concern is shared by Tony Rothert, legal director for the ACLU of Easter Missouri, who expressed the opinion that the bill goes too far in silencing free speech.
Many educators feel that the worst thing about SB54 is that is puts the teacher-student relationship in a negative light and seems to assume that the majority of teachers are predatory. Instead of using legislation to limit how students use technology, an argument can be made for putting more effort into educating students on the appropriate use of the Internet and training teachers on how to use social media as an instructional tool.
Missouri SB54 goes into effect on August 28th and gives schools until January to establish a written policy that complies with the new restrictions on teacher-student communication. The Missouri State Teachers Association is advising teachers to speak to their principal and superintendent about any concerns related to the new law.
Learn more about how to become a teacher in Missouri and review information regarding credentialing in the Show-Me state.
