School district sets guidelines for teacher-student interactions on social media

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Local school districts will remind teachers to remain professional in their interactions with students outside the classroom ahead of the new school year.

At least five Central Florida teachers have been arrested for sexual crimes involving students in the last year.

Investigators said teachers contacted children through cellphones or social media in each case.

Brevard County school district officials said the First Amendment prevents them from telling staff members how to interact with students and what they may discuss with them.

But to prevent the blurring of lines between professional and personal relationships, the district requires teachers to sign a form outlining the district's social media policy. Once signed, the document is included in a teacher's file.

The guidelines ask teachers to receive parental consent before uploading photographs of students. Teachers are also asked to use their full names on social media.

Educators are asked to "maintain an appropriate employee-student relationship" in-person and online.

"If it's inappropriate to have a relationship or interact with a student in person in a certain way, it's certainly inappropriate to do that on social media," Brevard County Schools spokesman Matt Reed said.

But officials said some teachers have run into trouble.

Former teacher Barbara Hare, who has three school-age sons, said she disapproves of any teacher-student interactions on social media.

"I don't think that any teachers and students -- or even parents of students at schools -- should have Facebook interaction," she said.

Lake County Schools officials said the school district is developing a social media policy.

Cox Media Group