Harlan Kirgan
The online world and particular social media is a minefield of potential problems.
For instance, Anthony Standberry, a St. Landry Parish School Board, member described his recent experience attending a Christmas presentation at Lawtell Elementary.
The program so touched him he recorded it on his smart phone and shared it on social media, he said.
Standberry asked if it is that OK for him to share is heartwarming images?
Not really, said Superintendent Patrick Jenkins. As a School Board member Standberry is not supposed to use his personal device to capture images of students and share them on social media.
The “Bah, humbug” advisory involves personal identification information, Jenkins explained.
Most of the time it is OK if the device is a school-owned and no parent or guardian has written that they do not want a student identified in a public way.
That was the type of detail St. Landry Parish School Board members were briefed on during an Executive Committee meeting on Dec. 17.
Jerome Robinson, supervisor of health, physical education and athletics, presented the policy on Employee Use of Social Media during the meeting.
The policy incorporates new social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Flickr and YouTube.
The policy stresses maintaining professional conduct online.
Employees are prohibited from communicating with students online and they are responsible for the content of their social media sites.
Eunice School Board member Albert Hayes Jr. said it is understandable that employees should not have anything online that is disruptive to the school, but they may not be able to immediately police what is on their social media pages.
“I got on Facebook and I ‘friended’ a large number of people and sometimes I have to eliminate some of the things they post,” he said.
Robinson said employees fall under the school administrators’ responsibilities and they do have an obligation to report information posted online.
And, administrators are to monitor employees’ online presence.
The superintendent, understandably, said, “I don’t have time to do that.”
Employees wanting to promote certain things should have a private page, Jenkins said.
Hayes said 99 percent of the time complaints are not anything but two adults arguing, but employees should be encouraged to remain professional “because people are watching them all of the time.”
Hayes praised the policy, but added it should encourage employees to be circumspect in their use of social media “because this is something that will cost you your job.”
Mary Ellen Donatto, another Eunice School Board member, said the classic example is a teacher who moonlights as an exotic dancer. The job was OK until it become disruptive at school, she said.
Jamal Taylor, president of the St. Landry Parish Association of Educators, said teachers do not give up their right to free speech and the policy should recognize that.
Jenkins said the policy is not intended to infringe on rights, but is to protect employees from certain issues.
The issue is for employees to communicate with the public and students in a professional way.
And, back to the school Christmas concert, Donatto pointed out there are reasons for parents to be making the decisions about identifying their children in public.
Jenkins said in a public setting parents are allowed to take photos and share them on social media.
But school employees need to be mindful of their sharing image and information with the public, he said.
Excerpts from the policy include the following.
— “The St. Landry Parish School Board acknowledges that employees may engage in the use of social media during their personal time. Employees who use social media for personal purposes must be mindful that they are responsible for their public conduct even when not acting in their capacities as school district employees. All employees, including student teachers and independent contractors shall comply with the requirements of this policy when using electronic social media for personal purposes.”
— “Employees shall be prohibited from knowingly communicating with current students through a personal social network page. Any electronic communication made by an employee to any student enrolled in a public school in this school district or that is received by an employee from any student enrolled in a public school in this school district using a means other than one provided by or made available by the school district shall be reported by the employee in a manner deemed appropriate by the School Board.
— “Employees shall be responsible for the content on their social media sites, including content added by the employee, the employee’s friends or members of the public who can access the employee’s site, and for Web links on the employee’s site. Employees shall take reasonable precautions, such as using available security settings, to restrict students from viewing their personal information on social media websites and to prevent students from accessing materials that are not age-appropriate.
— “Employees shall be prohibited from accessing social networking websites for personal use during instructional time or with School Board technological resources.”
A dozen entries are made on section about “Posting to Social Media Sites.”
They are:
Employees who use social media for personal purposes shall be aware that the content they post may be viewed by anyone, including students, parents and community members. Employees shall observe the following principles when communicating through social media:
1. Employees shall not post confidential information about students, employees or school district business.
2. Employees shall not accept current students as “friends” or “followers” or otherwise connect with students on social media sites, unless the employee and student have a family relationship or other type of appropriate relationship which originated outside of the school setting.
3. Employees shall not knowingly allow students access to their personal social media sites that discuss or portray sex, nudity, alcohol or drug use or other behaviors associated with the employees’ private lives that would be inappropriate to discuss with a student at school.
4. Employees may not knowingly grant students access to any portions of their personal social media sites that are not accessible to the general public, unless the employee and student have a family relationship or other type of appropriate relationship which originated outside of the school setting.
5. Employees shall be professional in all Internet postings related to or referencing the school district, students and other employees.
6. Employees shall not use profane, pornographic, obscene, indecent, lewd, vulgar or sexually offensive language, pictures or graphics or other communication that could reasonably be anticipated to cause a substantial disruption to the school environment.
7. Employees shall not use the school district’s logo or other copyrighted material of the district without express, written consent from the St. Landry Parish School Board
8. Employees shall not post identifiable images of a student or student’s family without permission from the student and the student’s parent or legal guardian.
9. Employees shall not use Internet postings to libel or defame the St. Landry Parish School Board, individual St. Landry Parish School Board members, school district employees, or students.
10. Employees shall not use Internet postings to harass, bully or intimidate other employees or students in violation of School Board policies or state and federal laws.
11. Employees shall not post inappropriate content that negatively impacts their ability to perform their jobs.
12. Employees shall not use Internet postings to engage in any other conduct that violates School Board policies and administrative procedures or state and federal laws.