Thursday, 17 February 2011
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Teachers + Blogging=Trouble?
Teacher, Natalie Munroe, in Pennsylvania was fired over blogging about her students. The story is split 50/50 in the media. Some are applauding her and some people are understandably upset.
I don't think names were mentioned but I'm about 90% on the side of the upset people. As a student and blogger, I'm currently thinking 4 things:
1) We cant trust her to keep anything confidential (aside from abuse of course)
2) she's making the whole school look bad and that may not be the case
3) Who knows what else she goes around saying
4) How is she acting towards the students to get the reactions she does?
There's 2 sides to every story and not every personality mixes well.
As a blogger who has vented about school, work and everything in between, I understand her dilemmas. I have friends who are teachers but you have to have common sense before you post. You never know who goes through your facebook and even protected blogs aren't 100% secure. Natalie Munroe had that blog for friends and family so someone either turned her in or someone found it and reported it.
Since the early 2000s blogs have been taken seriously and used as court evidence so even if it's a joke or the heat of the moment thing, it'll come back to bite you later.
I support free speech 100% but when you talk about others in print, it becomes a libel case. I agree with a suspension until more develops but this could be a huge wake up call to educators. Some people aren't meant to teach and deal with difficult students and THAT'S OK!!
We all have limits to what we can handle or what to do. If it becomes that bad, get a new assignment or try a new field. I have a feeling Ms. Munroe may possibly go through a legal suit if some parents jump on the wagon too.
As a parent, how would you feel if your child's teacher blogged about your kids or what went on in school in a negative way? Do you support Natalie Munroe? Why or why not?
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- From: Shinbi_Belldandy@xanga
- About Me: *~Te quiero. Me gusta tu voz. Me quieres? ¿Tienes novia? ---Mi Amor~* Hola. This is Mina! <3 I smile when I feel like it so don't force me <3 As with cheeses and fine wine, I get better with age but I dont act the age I am. LOL <3 Proud Lady of Cherokee, Blackfoot, PR, German & Black decent. Haters stay away! <3 If you want to talk to me, speak to me like the lady I am & leave the street talk where it belongs, in the street. Mommy raised me better than that! <3 Single but not desperate <3 Anime & Manga fanatic for life! <3 Love me or leave me because I won't change for anybody. I've lost friends over this but then again they weren't my friends if they treated me that way right? "You may feel alone when you're falling asleep, And everytime tears roll down your cheeks... But I know your heart belongs to someone you've yet to meet. Someday you will be loved... ---Ghost Girl"
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Comments (17)
ANY employee + blogging..could spell t-r-ou-b-l-e!!
Christy
I'm not a teacher but I have worked in preschool. I've not seen her blogs. So my knowledge of this is limited to this blog post. With that said, I will continue.
I feel that if her blog post(s) were PRIVATE (not left for the general public to see) and especially if her page is private - then it should be unacceptable for them to fire her based on her blogs. From what this post says, she did not name specific names. From the quote in the picture she was making general assessments. Kids now days DO seem rude & whiny. I have no clue how lazy or not they are though. So really, I don't think this should be enough to fire her on. If she said something to the effect of not being able to stand the kids in her class for the most part and she can't wait until next year when she hopes to have a better group - that I can take offense to and support the people who are upset.
I think if we allow this kind of thing to get a person fired (like I said, only if it is in generalities and not being aimed personally at a child(ren)) then eventually we'll see more of our freedom of speech encroached upon & more of our civil liberties taken away slowly.
Besides that - I've been in a classroom with a couple of rude, lazy & whiny people back in high school. Sad, but true. This one in particular would purposefully make loud noises in class for the heck of it (no, he didn't have any medical or mental issues that caused it as he aimed it all at this ONE teacher, daily). I couldn't believe how rude he was being. If I had ever read a blog she wrote about how disrespectful and rude kids are now days or could be - I would have understood and even agreed. Teachers are human.
I've seen a Xanga post about how some teachers have pictures of themselves partying and generally setting a bad example for their students. Guess what - they were completely supported in their behavior and here - and it was even mentioned they shouldn't have to censor what pictures they post.... just be sure no students have access to it. Well, if THAT is okay according to many of the bloggers on Xanga - why not this? Again, from what I understand here she didn't go into naming people.
It's just uncalled for. Seriously. Anyone who blogs about their job and gripes about it could end up in trouble.
I have a former teacher, who's also my friend on facebook. She was substitute teaching for another friend of mine, while she was out for maternity leave. This woman was constantly adding statuses that she'd just like to "slap these students across the face" and that they were lazy. She'd also commented on how she had this one student, and wrote what he did wrong and how she talked to his parent and hopefully his behavior would change. One day, someone finally called her out on it, teling her that if one of these childrens parents were to read what she was saying, how would they feel about it? plus, she wasn't even supposed to be facebooking at work!
I don't think it's appropriate at all. Just my opinion. Keep it between the studen't parents and yourself. You don't have to blog about EVERY LITTLE THING.
@MyTwoCentss@xanga - I agree completely.
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I would be upset if a teacher blogged about my son personally, as in he/she used the name John Last Name is .....it is personal. She should have the decency to take up her problems with my son, administrators at the school, or me. However, this teacher called her students in general rude, disengaged, lazy etc (all of which I agree with and these are the reasons why I'd rather work at Starbucks than to get certified to teach all grades). She was not picking on any one person. It is ridiculous for her to get fired/suspended over this. If my son's teacher stated this, I would tell my son that he better not be one of the lazy rude kids she is talking about and that I would drop by his classes to make sure he wasn't. Until I had proof, I wouldn't just assume that the teacher is in the wrong. It is hard enough that teachers receive little support but they can't even voice their opinion on the same platform that students use to voice their opinions. Has anyone ever read how rude and unrelated to teaching/learning some of the comments are on sites like ratemyprofessor.com? Everything she said is directly related to barriers to her being able to teach effectively in the classroom. Perhaps the school needs to re-evaluate how students are disciplined.
@Erika_Steele@xanga - Completely agree!
If she was blogging to vent, she should have kept the posts private for no one else to read.
I have posts venting about stuff.. but they are either private or just not published online.
I don't know much about the situation myself, but I would not be happy with my child's teacher if I found they were blogging about my child, or another child in the class. Its rude and immature. (though I am homeschooling so does that mean I can't complain about my monkey any more?? hrmmmmm :)
But I am not sure that firing her is the best way either... Face it, most of our social networking is now done online. Maybe in her mind she was not doing anything wrong because she was not naming the child she was complaining about. I worry about the reputation of the students and the school, and what the laws are when it comes to defamation of character and slander.
I do think some form of action needs to be taken, and she needs to formally apologize and make restitution to those who were effected.
But I am just not sure if she would learn from being fired.
"Jeff Shoolbraid said that he thought much of what Munroe said was true and that she had a right to voice her opinion, but felt her comments were out of line for a teacher." <--- That's a quote from the article. I would like to ask Mr. Shoolbraid, who BETTER than a teacher to make those comments than a teacher? A teacher would be the one who would know.
As long as she's not using real names, I don't see a problem with her blog. I think a lot of what she said was probably true, in which case, parents shouldn't be worried about her blog, but what their children did to inspire the blog.
From just the article included with the link, I say they are 100% out of line. She apparently did not name names, but posted a general statement. I say if the parents didn't like what she had to say about their children, perhaps they should re-evaluate their child's behavior and work ethic in regards to school. She is a teacher, that does not make her perfect. She has bad days just like we all do. She vented it out and should not be fired for speaking in general terms.
Had she stated "John Q Public" is a total idiot and his parents Mr. and Mrs. Public should be taken out and fixed so they no longer can procreate such idiotic children", I would say we have a problem. To say "children today expect everything handed to them and are lazy" sounds like a fairly accurate description of some of the children I see around the schools these days.
All she said were that the students were being lazy and whiny, she never used real names, therefore, your libel claim is completely false. It was a vent on how frustrated the students were making her, it'd be the same as saying, "I have a coworker who drives me insane because she complains all the time" No name mentioned, just a rant and no one should care. Kids these days are brats because parents have lost their back bones (well, not all kids and not all parents, but I know a few who fit the profile sadly).
I think they were out of line for firing her; it's not like she used threats of violence or personal insults.
Anyone offended or insulted by this needs to get over themselves.
@ForBirds@xanga - Completely agree.
@ForBirds@xanga - I couldnt see the blog because there was no link & it was taken down by the time I read the story. The part about libel wasnt directly specifically at her, I was speaking in general. There are many cases where students, teachers & many professionals were suspended/sued/fired for the things they wrote on public blogs.
I DO agree kids these days can act like that. Well not just kids, I went to school with people like that too. I'm sure we all did. LOL. I just think it's unprofessional to take it to this level. I see my peers do this & they wonder why they get fired/suspended or written up later for facebooking or blogging.
@LadyGwenivere@xanga - I think a firing is out of line too but she should keep her posts private. I did note that nothing is 100% private but no one can say what she said was posted for the world to see if it was & someone say printed a page or whoever was on her list showed it.
@Brilliant_Innocence@xanga - Exactly! thank you! It may not be in your job description but as a teacher you need to be careful with alot of what you say, especially since just about everyone is into social networking.
@greatredwoman@xanga - Very true, especially if it's on the job or while you're at work.
@Erika_Steele@xanga - @xpika1x@xanga - @MrsJenBean@xanga - @gwacemom - I do think a firing is extreme. Dont think I'm mean or anything LOL. We're all bloggers that's why I said I understand but why I see the other side.. I'm glad she didnt use names or she'd be in worse trouble. Some places/occupations dont want you talking about the job in general. Now to be fair, we ARE getting one side of the story & since it's not a major one, we may not hear about it. I just think that Miss. Munroe should have kept it private. You never know who knows who & I didnt see how she got reported. For all we know, it could have been a passerby who saw that & thought what I did & brought it to the attention of the school principal.
@Shinbi_Belldandy@xanga - even if someone were to come forward with a piece of paper that she supposedly wrote, i would still be skeptical. Mainly because I have been a victim of fraud that way. I am thankful I had one heck of a lawyer.
I hope she learns a lesson. Maybe if she does then she can use her experience to teach her students something.
@LadyGwenivere@xanga - I agree. The only different between blogging & a paper (the latter being easily forged) is that bloggers have IDs & they can be tracked to IP addresses. So unless she's got some awesome comp skills, she cant escape that. I think this is a lesson for ALL of us to be more careful blogging. I'm not sensoring myself but I never talk about where I work & I never use names. I'm always private except for blogs like this where I want to submit them.
Let her talk. As long as there were no names mentioned, (including her full name and/or the name of the school) there technically shouldn't be an issue. She can say what she wants, it's the internet. What I'd like to know is how they found this blog in the first place.
If what she is saying is true, more power to her.
@Erika_Steele@xanga - I completely agree!
@zretrareo27@xanga - The news story I read didnt say how the blog was reported. Miss Munroe meant it for friends & family so either someone she knew told on her or someone passed by, recognized her & reported it. If she used her real name, it was easy to find out where she worked & contacted the school. If not, someone went through alot to get her in trouble.
Every one thinks their generation had it so much harder... Not kid's these days are whiny... Every one is whiny about how much harder their life was or how hard things are... OMG kid's are so privileged now they have no idea... blah blah blah... We are all crybaby's... We just don't see it because we are older now and lost touch with how it felt to be a kid and it's just so much harder being an adult...
blah blah blah...
I'm tired.. and that was just a block of words I typed up there...
She was venting...
Although I don't agree with what she said I think it's fine for her to vent. Geez she got stressed. We all get stressed. If she holds it in she may explode.