SmackDown: Should Teachers Be Allowed to Blog About Their Students?

It's interesting that none (at least none that I've seen so far) of the objections to what this teacher wrote actually address the accuracy of her post. Putting it on the internet may not have been wise, or perhaps it could have been expressed more constructively. (Since it was taken down, I'll probably never know. But look at your own post. You're a mother, yet your own writing suggests you are incapable of writing an error-free sentence. Perhaps English is not your primary language, in which case you have an excuse-- otherwise, you have none. The number of Americans who have not mastered their own language is appalling, and it seems likely that the source of her frustration was students who were too mentally lazy to write well, or even behave well. Instead of coddling underachievers, we need to raise the bar. Too many school districts do not give teachers sufficient authority to discipline their kids. As someone with over a decade of teaching experience, I can confirm everything about her post of which I am aware. This woman should not be punished for telling the truth, and I doubt she would have been so frustrated if she didn't care.

omg get over it she has every right 2 free speech...also kids these days are out fo control and most parents are st fault ..it starts at home

fired for what, you probably are the parent of one of the aforementioned monsters

As long as the teacher(s) doesn't use students real names I see nothing wrong with it. I also work with school children in the transportation department. Parent's, if you really want to know how your children act, speak, and socialize, then I suggest you get in touch with your school board and ask that since the schools already have video cameras throughout, including the caffeteria, playgrounds/study halls and on the bus ride to and from school - to start airing the tapes on your local school channel. Then lets see if you can handle how your children really are out of your sight and ears. lol.. I give the teacher credit for pointing out facts that some parents can't accept or refuse to see. I also know the neighborhood school district very well, and yes parents, some of your children are spoiled brats. I am still amazed at how many kids, even high school aged, can't walk to the Bus Stop? lol..

Blogging about anything is your right. Now, if you were to perhaps list names of minor children in your blog, then I do not agree with that. Did she say their actual name? Or just refer to them as a "student"?

As long as she doesn't refer to your child by name, it's her first amendment right. When she ridicules your child by name then she has crossed the line. It won't hurt any of those children to know they are whiney and need to take responsibility and possibly seeing it in print will help. Maybe your problem is that you see the description a little too close to home?

Why in the world would this woman be fired???? I think we should commend her for being honest and stating the painfully obvious! Her blog was private in information. No disclosing where she worked or students names, so what's the problem. The district is way off the mark on this one. I graduated from East, and I am a parent to Central Bucks students. I say put her on a committee to improve the problems with student behavior, and involve the parents in educating your children on what is expected of them. Let's work together to raise prideful, respectful, good human beings!!!

That way my thought too. She didn't mention names, so what is the problem? Is she not allowed to express her frustrations that, considering the state of our educational system today, are likely well founded? To fire someone for this is pretty ridiculous, especially when we have documented cases of pedophiles in the NY teacher pool who cannot be fired because of the NEA (teachers union), so they are paid to sit in a room all day while someone else is paid to teach their class. At least THIS teacher, though frustrated, seems to care enough to BE frustrated. She sounds like one who NEEDS to be in the classroom, not removed from it.

Just because she didn't write names, doesn't mean kids didn't know who she was talking about. I know people that looked at the blog and said "I am nearly 100% sure she is talking about me right there". And even if she didn't say a specific student, she mentioned the name of the principal and fellow teachers. Plus, calling any student a "rude, 'beligerent' argumentive f*ck" is just awful, no matter if she said which student.

AbigailAbigail said...
Just because she didn't write names, doesn't mean kids didn't know who she was talking about. I know people that looked at the blog and said "I am nearly 100% sure she is talking about me right there". And even if she didn't say a specific student, she mentioned the name of the principal and fellow teachers. Plus, calling any student a "rude, 'beligerent' argumentive f*ck" is just awful, no matter if she said which student.

What if the student IS rude, beligerent and argumentative f*ck? If they knew she was talking about them, then they probably are. lol

That is one person's opinion.
If she even mentioned my child, if I had one, in a positive or negative light, I would sue the ******* profanity out of her: Libel
I grew up in a home of educators. I guess they were professionals. They never spoke of any particular students.
That may have been just basic old fashion respect.
I gather, from what I read, there is too little of that in today's class room.
How about this? Just like jury duty we should all take a part of a day to visit our local school. We would see what is really going on. It would not have to be mandated. It would be good to know more about how our tax dollars are being spent.
However, this does not get us close to the "power" base; the administrators. I believe it is more them than the teachers who have destroyed our public schools.
This is what really concerns me. They,( The Federal Govt), wants to hire, fire, pay, teachers on "performance." Who is going to make the decisions? There is no real objective method. So what will we have? It will be a gang of administrators, perhaps stupid, canning the best teachers because they don't like them on a personal level.

Get over it. If there is someone in your school that her blogs describe, there is nothing you or anyone else can do about it. (It is probably you she is describing or one of your buddies or your honey anyway.)

You should be offended by the fact that your fellow students dress and act the way that they do, not someone calling out the fact that your generation is (in many cases) completely lacking when it comes to morality and conscience. This, of course, translates to pathetic parenting and none of the individuals who are doing this poor job of parenting want to be called out. It all comes back to personal responsibility. No one wants to accept the fact that they have children that act like they were raised by wolves, and those kids who act that way are not used to being called out on their behavior because it is easier for their parents to ignore it than it is to actually be a parent.