There's story on the news of late about a teacher who had a blog wherein she ranted about her students, her job, the district, life, etc. According to the news report, it was quite laced with profanity. She did not reveal her full name, but did post her picture, and did not refer to any students/district/school/parents by name. You guessed it: eventually, the kids found it. The school district honcho is quoted as saying the teacher has lost the respect and confidence of her students, their parents, and her colleagues. Everyone is on tenterhooks to learn what will be her fate.
Stories like this make me absolutely paranoid about my internet presence and this blog, in particular. I try to keep it rated G, but there are times when only a $(*$%@) will do. As an online diary, it is bound to be the place where I transcribe those personal musings that might get me into trouble. My readership numbers in the single digits, but I also have not taken any great care to conceal my identity. Somehow, the students found their teacher. It's foolish to think I am any better concealed.
In a conversation with friends about this story, I was interested in the opinions of my friends with children of an impressionable age. One felt it was bunk, basically, and that the teacher was just blowing off steam. But, she also wasn't aware of the [reported] generous use of profanity.
Even if this teacher is not terminated from her job, or, if she is, reinstated through a first amendment rights suit, isn't it still too late? In my ethics class last quarter, we lamented that what is legal isn't always what is ethical. I'm not saying her blog was unethical at all, but regardless of the outcome, this controversy will follow her for days.
Interestingly, at the end of the news report, they play a clip of the teacher saying she feels that students need to learn from their mistakes. It isn't clear from the context if that is what she was griping about on her blog (kids are coddled and never can learn from repercussions b/c teachers aren't allowed to enforce repercussions) or if she is speaking about her own circumstances.
Was this the story? http://yhoo.it/eFNQij
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion she was totally out of line. You can't trash-talk people behind their backs, whether they're students, siblings or co-workers. Also it doesn't sound like she had anything constructive at all to say. She was just whining herself... Maybe that's the slant in the article ...
I also found this story: http://bit.ly/hEeW2K
There's a bit of advice in that article which I think is good: If you wouldn't say it during a faculty meeting, don't write it. Similarly I try to imagine what would happen if one of my blog posts got republished in the local newspaper. Other than its inanity ... would I be embarrassed by it? Sued for it? etc.
Oh. I just noticed her age: she's only 30. You know what's funny about that? People of my generation have been saying that HER generation are lazy, coddled whiners! Also she's young enough to have grown up with computers and the internet, so she has a different tolerance for what can be said online -- or, if you like, her generation *thinks* they can say whatever they like online because they haven't had to face the consequences of having said it. Old folks like me keep saying they'll get fired if they're not careful and lo, it is happening.
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