There have been two recent cases of teachers badly depicting their students on Facebook. In one instance, a teacher posted a picture of one her students wearing Jolly Rancher candies in her hair, and led her Facebook friends in mocking the photo. {source}
The second incident was a teacher who called her students (6-8 years old) “future criminals.” on her Facebook page. {source}
While I don’t think these teachers should have posted these things on their Facebook pages, the fact remains, that Facebook or not, they had these feelings towards their students. In the pre-Facebook age, maybe they would have printed the photo and snickered at it over brunch on a Saturday afternoon, or just complained to their friends about the delinquent 7 years olds in their class... either way, the feelings are still there.
That’s the things about the internet, it doesn’t MAKE any one racist, insensitive, rude, or dumb...it just offers them a platform to express those less than stellar qualities about themselves.
The issue really seems to be answering the question of why is it that the force spending the most time with our children have thoughts that align with tearing children down, rather than building them up? Are they in a career they don’t want? Is it become they are underpaid? What is it?
I’m highly uncomfortable with a teacher who predicts a 6 year old is a future criminal. A teacher should be trying to mold young children into future leaders, not chalking their lives up to the world of crime.
Much praise to teachers who despite never getting the recognition/pay they deserve, still seek to do their jobs to the best of their ability, both in the classroom, behind closed doors, and on Facebook.
Note: I really only take a problem with ill Facebook behaviour that has to do with students. If a teacher wants to go clubbin’ on a Saturday night and post pictures holding three drinks, and doing a split in the club, I take no issue, because that has nothing to do with her professional life.... unless she has students as friends on Facebook.... or in the club with her lol
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ReplyDeleteI agree and can see this from both angles (the jolly rancher incident). Times have changed and what you do or post on the net WILL follow you so we have to remember to present ourselves a certain way online. As a teacher, she was dead azz wrong! She exploited that child and made a mockery out of her nationally! She should be fired.
ReplyDeleteThe mother on the other hand, someone should sit down with her and really find out what's going on in her head. Why on earth would you send your child to school with a bunch of jolly ranchers in her head and not expect something to be said. The proper thing the teacher should have done was communicate with the mother that the jolly ranchers were distracting and could possibly result in the child being ridiculed in class, etc. I honestly have to SMH at BOTH adult women who made terrible decisions. However, that does not justify the teacher’s ignorance and exploitation of the child. For one, we have to stop giving these people a reason to look down upon us. Not all of us, but there are a large number of us that do.
Now, the teacher that called the students "future criminals" should be fired and should never be allowed to teach, in my opinion. When I was in elementary school, I had teachers that pushed me and believed in me and always motivated the students to seek out their potential. If they were faking.. they faked it well. The teachers that actually CARE are falling few and far in between every day. The main goal is to receive a pay check and that is all. I actually know a few people who decided to become teachers because they couldn't find jobs in their majors or it was an easy source of income. I don't promote becoming a teacher for this reason and I can guarantee that I'm not the only one who knows these types of teachers. Sorry for the loong post, I am very passionate about children and I have very little tolerance for ignorance.
Great post LeNeshe!!!
@Kiianah - definitely agree with you! I love long comments, no problem :-)
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