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West Virginia Education Association

Social Media Guidelines for Educators

Not sure what the real “rules” are about social media for teachers? Are you wanting to use social
media more, but just thinking about the twitter icon fills you with trepidation? More teachers are using social media than ever before. Follow these guidelines to get started the right way. They’ll keep
you out of hot water and in a strategic safety zone, whether you’re using social media for networking with other educators, following the news, getting recipes on Pinterest, for your side job or business (hey, a teacher’s got to eat!) or keeping up with your Aunt Betty.

DO

  • DO feel free to share status updates and comment on others’ updates. In a public forum, keep it
    positive, light and stay away from nasty, heated discussions.
  • DO know your school district’s employee computer use policy.
  • DO connect with coworkers whom you feel safe, comfortable, and friendly with (as we are apt to do in the teaching field). Your teaching contract does not mandate you to be friends with any of your colleagues.
  • DO control your privacy settings. Facebook and other social media platforms change their privacy policy frequently. If you don’t want to be found by anyone, pay close attention to those settings. If you are running a tutoring business, giving music lessons, or running a part-time business online,
  • DO set up a Facebook business page separate from your personal or school/classroom page. Just remember that on the business page, anyone can see what you post.
  • DO tag and post with care, especially when you’re posting pictures of others.
  • DO unfollow negative people and relatives, if you feel the emotional need to.

DON’T

DON’T friend your students. NOTE: If you know and work with the parents, and have spoken with
them, or work in a rural community, social lines can get blurry. Use your best judgment.

  • DON’T mix excessive drinking and social media.
  • DON’T post pictures of yourself partying or drinking alcohol, even after hours.
  • DON’T post pictures of yourself engaged in drinking or serving alcohol, around alcohol, even if you bartend, wait tables, or cocktail on weekends and school breaks. What you do after hours is your business, don’t make it everyone’s.
  • DON’T post pictures or videos of yourself naked or semi-clothed.
  • DON’T overpost. If you post a change to your status ALL the time, instead of looking like you have an exciting life, you look like the kid who will do ANYTHING for attention. In a closed Facebook discussion group, you can post more frequently – just make sure it’s after school hours or on breaks.
  • DON’T post on social media during work hours.
  • DON’T write nasty comments about your students, their families, coworkers, or administrators. Remember, HIPPA and FERPA laws! Would you want your doctor writing updates about you?
  • DON’T assume that you are protected by your First Amendment rights. Like it or not, teachers are held to a different moral standard than the rest of society.
  • DON’T post content that would undermine your school’s program delivery. A smart rule of thumb: If you don’t want it to be on the front page of the New York Times or the National Enquirer,
    don’t post it.

Policy 2460 – Acceptable Use of Technology

All education employees in West Virginia should become familiar with WV State Board Policy 2460 – Educational Purpose and Acceptable Use of Electronic Resources, Technologies and the Internet. 
Pay attention to section 5.7.b.1 – Adults will maintain professional, ethical relationships with all students, both inside and outside the classroom and while using any form of social media and other electronic communication. Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to committing any act of harassment as defined by WVBE and/or district policy; committing or soliciting any sexual act from any minor or any student regardless of age; soliciting, encouraging, or consummating a romantic or inappropriate relationship with a student, regardless of the age of the student; using inappropriate language including, but not limited to, swearing and improper sexual comments; taking inappropriate pictures (digital, photographic or video) of students or exchanging any inappropriate pictures with students; or engaging in any other behavior that constitutes a violation of district or county policy or that is detrimental to the health and welfare of students; and 5.7.b.3 – All information stored within work computers or servers is the property of the state, district or school, and the personnel using such computers/servers/networks have no expectation of privacy with respect to its contents.

Carefully read your county’s policy, as well as WVBE Policy 2460, on social media use and contact the WVEA Help Center if you have specific questions.