Social Networking

Social networking in public schools provides an uncomfortable situation. Schools are responsible for the safety of students and, in some ways, need to carefully control the flow of information. Classroom topics, student confidentiality, staff and student privacy are some areas that might be sensitive.

That being said, it is obvious that students are using social networking one way or the other. In some sense, it is reflective of the sex education issue. Adults can argue whether they should or shouldn't, and in the meantime they are. Our responsibility is to teach them responsibility. Of course, similarities between social networking and sex education can only go so far, but the point that students make their own decisions in both areas is valid.

Knowing that students use social networking, how and why they use it, allows us to explore several opportunities. First, it provides us the opportunity to teach internet responsibility. Not only will they be held responsible for the things they post online, but they will not necessarily "own" what they have posted. Secondly, this provides a very effective venue for educating our students. Knowing that kids communicate very naturally in this medium, it can be used by teachers to enhance instructional opportunities as well. Finally, as a school leader, it is also to be aware that many of my younger staff members communicate in this way, and it may be a more effective way to pass information for some of my staff as compared to email. In the same way I receive progressively fewer memos (and even phone calls), it is possible other forms of social networking-blogs, myspace, facebook, moodle, etc.-could be more effective ways to pass information to staff.

Social networking is definitely a communication method that is being used, and heavily, by students and younger staff members. To continue to allow the opportunities it provides to slip away would be irresponsible.