Sacked for being you?

I recall reading and seeing this in the media. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1354515/Teacher-sacked-posting-picture-holding-glass-wine-mug-beer-Facebook.html

A young teacher who lost her job because she had posted a photograph of herself on social media. Take a look at the photographs as a matter of interest. You will be surprised. There is no bleary eyed, skimpily dressed woman in a night of debauchery, rather, a lovely sweet looking girl on holiday in her break with a glass of alcohol!!! A parent had found access to her "high privacy setting" Facebook page and noted a swear word and forwarded this and photos to the Headmaster. 

One wonders if that parent was unhappy with her as a teacher and sort to discredit her. It is quite unbelievable to me that this could have even happened, the loss of job that is. To be honest, if I had an employer that was that hung up over perfectly normal photos I wouldn't want to work for them anyway. The question is, has she be unjustifiable dismissed? I believe so. 

It is situations like this and many others which as a teacher get you thinking, thinking about your own online presence and that which you create for the children in your care. We teach cyber-safety at my school to young children but my question is, how much do they truly understand of the evils of this world?  

For many years we taught "stranger danger" and children STILL got into strangers cars. That scares me! Television programmes like "Catfish" where people make fake profiles and have online relationships with others who are so far removed from what the purport to be is really scary. Children are so gullible and it is our job to do our utmost to protect them. 

All children from 7 years old upwards at my school have Google accounts, have their own blogs, have a classroom blog and are subjects of our school facebook page and School Website. Wow! That is certainly a big online presence when you are so young. I am now beginning to wonder if I teach enough cybersafty and revisit this often enough with children. It might be timely with new ethical guidelines which come into force for teachers in the very near future. See below...

CODE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY

I am a very regular user of Facebook, and although I don't post many pictures of myself (they are usually of me travelling), I do however often post "funny" jokes about being a teacher or about life. I do wonder what might happen if a parent managed to access my FB page took offence to something I might have posted. An example follows: 



A teacher friend tagged me in a post and therefore this picture appears on my page, all in good jest I say....but does everyone think that? Does it imply I hit people if offended or annoyed? Does it imply I am easily aggravated? I don't think so....but others have different opinions.  

I would be horrified if someone made a complaint about my online presence. I believe I have good moral standards. Hall (2001), discusses a set of questions that when faced with an ethical dilemma help to guide the process of making an ethical decision. In his document (see link below) there is a great scenario given regarding a school camp situation. What I liked about the scenario given was that it was very realistic, it is well worth a read. 


Education Council. (n.d). The Education Council Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers. Retrieved from https://educationcouncil.org.nz/content/code-of-et...

Hall, A. (2001). What ought I to do, all things considered? An approach to the exploration of ethical problems by teachers. Paper presented at the IIPE Conference, Brisbane. Retrieved from http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Culture/Developing-leaders/What-Ought-I-to-Do-All-Things-Considered-An-Approach-to-the-Exploration-of-Ethical-Problems-by-Teachers