#7 Missouri Teacher-Student Social Networking Law (SB 54)

 

What’s so iAWFUL?  Teachers and students are both using the Internet to create better educational environments, but Missouri’s SB 54 can scare good teachers away from this new teaching tool while failing to stop dangerous conduct.

 

Under SB 54, students and teachers cannot be “friends” on any social network that is not dedicated for educational purposes.


This is such an impingement on free speech that a Missouri judge recently enjoined the law from going into effect and will remain inactive until a court case. In his decision, the judge stated: that social media is “often the primary, if not sole manner, of communications between the Plaintiffs and their students.”[1].

 

This law is so bad that the day we published this iAWFUL list, the Missouri senate voted to repeal this law.

 

Good teachers use every tool at their disposal to reach their students and make learning more interactive.  But now, we are taking away the valuable tool of social networks in fear of teachers with criminal intentions.

 

The act would punish teachers who interact with their students over certain social networks. A teacher taking maternity leave couldn’t share baby news and photos with her students on Facebook.

Social media is “often the primary, if not sole manner, of communications between the Plaintiffs and their students.” — Circuit Court Judge Beetem

 

The act even applies to past teachers.  So if a high school senior uses Facebook to stay in touch with former teachers, those teachers might face termination.  Moreover, the bill would prevent teachers from interacting with former-students who are now adults.

 

This could chill teachers’ beneficial uses of social networking, since it assumes that teachers’ use of social networks carries the risk of inappropriate contact with students.  In fact, we should remove any teacher engaging in inappropriate relationships with their students, not eliminate a useful teaching tool: criminalize the conduct, not the technology.

 

NetChoice Statements:

NetChoice Letter to California Legislators in Opposition of Social Networking Bill

NetChoice Letter to California Legislators in Opposition of Child Social Networking Bill

NetChoice Comments on Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule Review

 

Blog Posts:

Indiana Law Might Result in Very Low NASCAR Viewership

Gratitude for Golden State Senators

At FCC’s “Generation Mobile” Event, the Kids Speak Plainly & Pointedly


Back to iAwful list

 

[1] Mo. State Teacher’s Ass’n v. Missouri (Cir. Ct. of Mo., Aug. 28, 2011) (enjoining the law).

Comments (2):

  1. Reply
    iAWFUL: the 10 Most Awful Laws for the Internet | NetChoice - Breaking down the Barriers to e-Commerce said:
    September 15, 2011 at 9:03 am

    [...] Missouri Teacher-Student Social Networking Law (MO SB 54) [...]

  2. Reply
    Missouri Legislature Tells Teachers: “We Can Be Friends Now” | NetChoice - Breaking down the Barriers to e-Commerce said:
    September 27, 2011 at 9:01 am

    [...] tool while failing to stop the real bad conduct.  It was so bad that we placed it on our latest iAWFUL list.  Good teachers use every tool at their disposal to reach their students and make learning more [...]

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