At school we went over our social networking guidelines. 21 the obvious—don"t be inappropriate with students through texting and Facebooking—we were further 22 to "always think and write like an educator" and "never use a blog to 23 your job duties" and "never blog or write about extremely personal 24 ". The handout told us that any Facebook pictures that show "the use of alcohol or anything students are prohibited from doing," could 25 discipline.
All of this is because "community members may hold you to a 26 standard of conduct than the 27 person." It is also advised that teachers should 28 "discussion or revealing 29 students personal matters about their private lives" making me 30 every piece of writing I have ever shared with my students.
Educators have been expected to be superheroes for a while now, 31 poverty, dysfunction, 32 curriculums, and time. But now we are expected to be the faultless and faceless 33 opinions or personal lives. I understand the Public Face and I have gotten pretty good at 34 it. And I 35 am not forgiving inappropriate behavior with or around children. But with policies like this, I am 36 to buy beer at the grocery store or wear clothes 37 break dress code out in public on hot days. But while the rest of the population gets to 38 into their averageness 39 President Obama can drink beer in public without losing his job, teachers are expected to live their average lives behind 40 doors.