Is it OK for Teachers and Students to Be Facebook Friends?

There should be appropriate boundiaries, teachers are not meant to be a students friend. Mentor, encourager, leader, guide, all are a good model for a student. Being a friend brings the teacher to the student's social level and that kind of relationship is not conducive to teacher-student interaction.

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It is not okay for students and teachers to be friends on facebook or have any contact outside the classroom that can be characterized as social interaction. I believe this is also true for students and college professors. I have seen firsthand (as an adjunct professor at a college in upstate New York) that both male and female professors socialize with their students outside of the class, including meeting at bars. In several instances, this led to romantic relationships. How is this behavior condoned by the college?

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I am a relatively new educator. I started TA-ing during graduate school, and going into the course was already friends with several of the students on facebook. I didn't have a problem with that, as our campus was quite small and social interaction between graduate and undergraduate students was common.

Flash forward to a year later. It's my first day of classes, and two of my students ask if I am on facebook. I said yes, and regretted it very soon after. Not because I had anything inappropriate on my profile (you delete all those red-cup pictures the second you start applying to the school district), but because I realized in that moment that I had slipped back into thinking like a student and not a teacher. I compromised and created a facebook profile specifically for work -- it has almost nothing on it outside of my professional information. When those two students found and friended that profile, I accepted. I never update it, and it was a hassle to make.

Going back, I wish I would have had simply said outright that I don't friend students on facebook. That is my policy now, and it has served me well -- students are students, teachers are teachers, and there is absolutely no reason for them to interact on social networking sites. It blurs the line in a way that is ultimately bad for both parties.

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As a parent, I would not want my teenage children to be friends with their teachers on Facebook. I am related to two teachers who do "friend" their students so their students can ask them questions about homework if they are stumped. If teachers want that level of open communication with their students then I think they should have a Facebook Fan Page. This would allow teachers to communicate about homework or class announcements but still keep their lives private. I think it's also more professional as the students would not be their "friends".

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I'm in middle school, and a lot of my friends friend our techers on facebook. Personally, I think it's a good day. This way, they know your strengths, weaknesses, and get a better idea of who they're teaching. Plus, it's a great way to stay in touch when summer comes. Plus, they can offer you guidance even when you're out of their classroom. Plus, teachers always say 'we're hear to help you' but noone ever asks them. If students friend them, we're more likely to talk to them.

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As a young secondary school teacher I have had multiple conversations on this topic with my students and colleagues. Some of my colleagues allow students to 'friend' them while others do not. The points are fair on both sides; those who 'friend' say that they have nothing to hide, they only share photos of their family and would never put anything inappropriate out on the internet. Those who don't say that they want to keep their personal life personal and do not want to blur the lines of teacher and friend.
Personally I do not allow my students to become my facebook friend, in fact I operate my account under a fake name and with very high security so my students have never been able to locate the page and therefore have never asked to be my "friend".

There are some valid points on both sides, allowing your student to see your personal life gives them another way to see how you live your life. Some kids don't have positive role models at home and this may give kids a window to see that we practice what we preach! As mentioned before kids are also familiar with facebook and are more likely to seek help from a teacher this way.
On the other side something that an adult may see as innocent and completely appropriate (perhaps a picture of you having a glass of wine at a wedding) can send a message that impressionable minds may misinterpret. Not to mention what is the purpose of having one of these social networks if you are planning on censoring your entire life.

My advice to students, parents and colleagues is to not friend each other. When you blur the lines between personal and professional in the adult world things get messy. Doing this when adolescents are involved (who are still coming to terms with themselves and the world around them) can be reckless and place you in a situation you may regret.

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Although I am no longer a student or teacher, I am able to name every teacher and professor I have had from first grade through graduate school. Many of my former educators are "facebook friends." Friending them on facebook is my personal choice for several reasons: many of my educators motivated me, guided, and helped shaped me for success in my chosen career; many mentored me in one way or another at one time in my life, and finally ALL were there for me during a particuarly challenging time in my life as a student of both academia and life. The fact that I am able to keep in touch with them via facebook and as an adult means that they are still able to assist me in my career and more importantly I am now able to develop a colleague relationship with them as opposed to a student/teacher relationship. After all the years of being educated by these wonderful people, I have earned their respect, they take me and my work seriously and as a result are always willing to be my sounding board, give advice, and be my own personal cheerleaders- a unique bond with each of them I would not change for anything.

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As a high school student I feel that I can safely say that most students do not want to know the intimate details of their teachers' lives. This being said, I see nothing wrong with teachers creating a "proffesional" facebook account to connect with students about appropriate subjects related to school.

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I am an elementary school teacher and I use facebook, but I think it is totally inappropriate for students and teachers to "friend" each other ( I know many who do.). If my students need to get in touch with me via e-mail to ask about homework or keep in touch during the summer, they can do it through my school e-maill address. I do not ever want the line to be blurred or for anyone to ever find anything "questionable". I am their teacher, not their "friend".
That being said, I have many FORMER students who have chosen to keep in touch through e-mail or calling the school or stopping by. As adults, I would not mind "friending" them and seeing how they are doing. But NOT until they are adults.

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I am NOT a FACEBOOK user... but have (ADULT) friends who are... and MANY of these ADULT friends have CHILDREN (under the age of 16) as FACEBOOK FRIENDS (be it their OWN child(ren)... children's friends... young realtives... neighborhood kids or students)...

I think it is TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE for an ADULT to have a CHILD as a FACEBOOK FRIEND (with the exception of THEIR OWN CHILD(ren)...) I think there is a serious "issue" with an ADULT who feels the "need" to "friend" a CHILD on FACEBOOK...

I also think that ADULTS who are in the "public arena" (TEACHERS) should be held accountable for their actions (including FACEBOOK PARTICIPATION)... I have heard of some "disturbing" postings by TEACHERS from my ADULT FRIENDS who are on FACEBOOK and "FACEFRIENDS" with TEACHERS (either their own child(rens) or within the school district)

There need to be BOUNDRIES... in REALTIONSHIPS... and SOCIETY... I am an ADULT... and have NOTHING in common with a CHILD...

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As a student who has just graduated high school this past June, I must say that I believe that students and teachers should not be friends while the student is still a student of that teacher. Many of my teachers would not add students as friends until after that year was over. However, now, I am in touch with many of my old teachers, both by facebook and email, and they still play a part in mentoring me. As a freshman in college, they have helped me overcome many obsticals in my path, and I am glad they are still in my life.

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I am a high school teacher. When my students ask me about Facebook, or friend request me, I tell them that as a graduation present I will be their friend. This works best for me. :-) I do have colleagues who friend current students, but personally (and professionally), I am not comfortable with it.

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To say that a teacher should be an "advice giver, a mentor, and a supervisor" and not a "friend", is absolutely absurd to me. Friends ARE mentors and advice givers, and they typically look after us and protect us much like a supervisor would. At least my friends do.

The problem in America today is that we are over protecting children. This country is obsessed with children and robbing them of individuality, freedom, and expression. This teacher-student argument focuses only on the negative possibilities that may result from communication between students and teachers, but does it focus on the ways that teachers are capable of helping and advising students, even outside of the classroom? No. And some of you may say "Yes, but this teacher-student argument still has negative possibities". Grow up. Everything has negative possibilities. Everyone, especially children, is entitled to learn things on their own, even in hard ways. It builds character.

We'll do anything to protect our children but when a teacher tries to do so it's deemed as "wrong"? Wake up, people.

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Why would any teacher do something so inane as befriending students on facebook? Have they so little regard for their reputations? I believe that teachers, especially younger ones who've grown up with the internet and social networking sites may not fully realize the dark side, so to the speak, that seemingly innocuous comments may have on their potential futures. Better safe than sorry. "Hey, teachers! Leave them kids alone!"

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I think it's ok for students and teachers to be "friends " on facebook. It might help if the teacher had a separate facebook page for their students and parents, separate from their personal life ( ie the kids won't see their teacher doing keg stands). Face book can be a good way to communicate and help all the kids and parents to get to know each other too.

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my daughter became "friends " with a couple of her teachers in her senior year. She still talks to them now that she has gone off to college. They are really a good source of positive encouragement for her!

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