Student suspended for facebook slam against teacher

[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.

[chitownxo]

Here's the update/resolution of this story from the Southtown Star
http://www.southtownstar.com/neighbo...cebook.article

Glad it's not going to Court as the district cannot afford to go that route.