After some local news stories and a lecture from our principal, I am going to make my blog private. I will invite all of my loyal fans and family to check it out but I do not want just anyone looking at my blog, mostly because I am a teacher.
A local news station went to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education here in Missouri, they got a list of all teachers under the age of 30 and then ran checks to see if they had Myspace or Facebook pages. (I am not sure if they checked blogs...but who knows...maybe that is next.) They found a fifth grade teacher who had posted some pretty naughty things on her facebook page. This information was put all over the news and now I am sure other news stations are going to be checking for dirt on other employees. Our principal, during a faculty meeting, suggested to all of us to evaluate what we put on the web and also to be careful. So, I am going to make my blog private. I hope that this will safegaurd me.
This topic makes me think about what educators are supposed to be. We are role models everyday in the classroom. We give our "free time" for grading papers and attending school functions and we are not paid very much. We are expected to be law abiding citizens (with due cause) but the second a teacher makes a mistake; is seen at a bar, is seen at a protest or concert...this is splashed all over the media and made into a big deal. I am sure that there are lawyers, police officers and doctors who are doing these same things, but because they are not educators the news does not care.
I know who I am and I know that I will not post things on my blog that will incriminate me...but I do not want to run the risk either. People are willing to go to great lengths to ruin the life of others. I also, do not want my students to find my blog. I enjoy having my personal life separate from my school life.
4 comments:
I totally agree Maggie!
good point. my friend just had some 'porn' guy comment on her blog this week and when you clicked the link he sent...guess what popped up. he made it look like it was someone she knew and it said something like...check this out...! GROSS! this world is pretty freaky! I am starting to think there are LOTS of reasons to go private!
I am glad that you both agree. I hope that people will not stop looking at my blog just because it is locked. Oh well...I will continue to blog.
ITA. Teachers live under such a microscope. I think it's a load of crap. Personally, I think as long as you keep your job and your personal life separate, no one should question what you do off hours. (I'm not saying that you moonlight as a stripper or anything.) Unless what you are doing is illegal.
Not to mention you guys don't make nearly what you are worth to put up with the garbage you put up with.
I (heart) teachers.
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