Student suspended for facebook slam against teacher

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Wise school officials address issues at the front-end rather than after the consequences of the issues take form. That is also why teachers K-12 and collegiate are advised to notify the proper officials if they receive questionable correspondence or are aware of something on or off the Internet that MIGHT be inappropriate. It is much easier to punish and teach lessons now, just in case, than to try to calm a school disruption. No one can predict school disruptions and control whether there will be any substantive harm caused.

One of the worst things in the world is when something happens and people reflect and say "well, he did create that fan page a few weeks ago....." Duhhhhh...does someone have to urine in your drinking glass for you to acknowledge that urine is an undesirable beverage?

Yep, but there's a lot of overreaction too. Sometimes kids just wants to verbalize their dissatisfaction, but there's absolutely no implied threat.

In cases in which the kids is unstable inter-personally as well as making comments online, you're in a whole different area, but I think many of us can tell the difference in the majority of cases.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Yep, but there's a lot of overreaction too. Sometimes kids just wants to verbalize their dissatisfaction, but there's absolution no implied threat.

Lesson learned: Think before you speak. Either shut up about it or express it in a more discreet manner. That also applies to college students who think it is wise to blast professors on the Internet. Discretion and appropriate behavior are things that should be learned long before they go through GLO recruitment.

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

In cases in which the kids is unstable inter-personally as well as making comments online, you're in a whole different area, but I think many of us can tell the difference in the majority of cases.

Treat ALL students who exhibit certain behaviors the same from the start as to avoid profiling particular "types" of students. No one can tell the "difference." That's the point.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Lesson learned: Think before you speak. Either shut up about it or express it in a more discreet manner. That also applies to college students who think it is wise to blast professors on the Internet. Discretion and appropriate behavior are things that should be learned long before they go through GLO recruitment.



Treat ALL students who exhibit certain behaviors the same from the start as to avoid profiling particular "types" of students. No one can tell the "difference." That's the point.

I agree that it's not about profiling types of students. It's about recognizing types of behavior and acting on that behavior.

But it doesn't make sense to treat a kid who has never demonstrated scary behavior before saying "that teacher is the worst teacher I've ever had" online as if she in fact threatened the teacher or as if she said it to the teacher's face in class (as happened in a previous facebook case).

I don't have a problem with schools simply talking some students for the reasons that you suggest, but trying to discipline students for non-threatening, non-disruptive comments that they made online away from campus is probably counterproductive.

Since they are teenagers, sometimes no reaction, or at least no reaction that they know of, is actually the best way to make a behavior go away.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Since they are teenagers, sometimes no reaction, or at least no reaction that they know of, is actually the best way to make a behavior go away.

The success of that is 50-50, which is why I deal with any unacceptable behavior from teenagers the way that I feel adults should deal with children:
You let them know what the rules and expectations are right away so you can spend less time repeating yourself and trying to reestablish the respect and conformity that you let slip away because you were busy "not reacting."

You'll have plenty of time to let kids' behaviors roll off your back. Everytime isnt the right time.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

The success of that is 50-50, which is why I deal with any unacceptable behavior from teenagers the way that I feel adults should deal with children:
You let them know what the rules and expectations are right away so you can spend less time repeating yourself and trying to reestablish the respect and conformity that you let slip away because you were busy "not reacting."

You'll have plenty of time to let kids' behaviors roll off your back. Everytime isnt the right time.

which is why I said "sometimes no reaction. . . "

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

which is why I said "sometimes no reaction. . . "

I don't think that's why you said that, but...sure...good save.

[UGAalum94]

You're right. It probably isn't why I said it, but I wanted to make clear that I wasn't suggesting that the best reaction was always just to let comments drop.

Sometimes you need to confront them. Sometimes it's better not too. And I also agree that communicating expectations is important, but sometimes expectations and hopes aren't actually enforceable, and in cases like facebook or the internet, which may or may not fall under the school's control, it might be wise not to choose that particular battle. You don't want it to end up being the school that actually creates the disruption and that potential is there.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Yep, but there's a lot of overreaction too. Sometimes kids just wants to verbalize their dissatisfaction, but there's absolution no implied threat.

In cases in which the kids is unstable inter-personally as well as making comments online, you're in a whole different area, but I think many of us can tell the difference in the majority of cases.

When I think of some of the things we said about our teachers...it was completely just blowing off steam. And it's not like making a facebook page is hard. If someone said this kid was obsessed with weapons or fire though, that might give me pause.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by 33girl

When I think of some of the things we said about our teachers...it was completely just blowing off steam.

And if you had found a very public way to blow off your steam, you would've created a formal record of your steam that would be worthy of parental and/or school punishment.

Originally Posted by 33girl

If someone said this kid was obsessed with weapons or fire though, that might give me pause.

Why? Can't this kid be obsessed with whatever he wants in the comfort of his own home? Not everyone who is obsessed with weapons or fire is dangerous---the National Rifle Association and National Fire Association have the data to prove that. Why don't we wait until the kid kills the entire school before we begin to pause?