ST. LOUIS – The state of Missouri is about to start policing the social networking of its teachers.
It’s just one facet of a new state law aimed at preventing the sexual abuse of students by their teachers.
The Amy Hestir Student Protection Act, which takes effect Sunday, sets strict rules on what’s considered appropriate behavior when it comes to text messages and the use of sites like Facebook.
In a nutshell, the law appears to prohibit private communication between a teacher and a student. And it may very well make it illegal for teachers to have students as friends on Facebook.
Parkway Central School District already discourages such relationships between students and teachers. Parkway is taking the position that, under the new law, Facebook friendships will soon be illegal.
But not everyone agrees with that interpretation, reflecting the uncertainty created by a law attempting to deal with the rapidly changing world of electronic communication. While districts have several months to develop official policies, they are scrambling to provide answers and guidance to teachers heading into the school year.
Among other things, school officials and teachers are wondering just how broad the new law is. Does it cover email? Twitter? Can teachers answer a student’s text message about a homework assignment. Are coaches allowed to use text messages to alert their teams about changes in practice times?
The law was designed to prevent teachers and students from developing the sort of private relationships that can lead to incidents of sexual abuse, said Sen. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, who authored the legislation.
Any exchanges between the student and teacher, she said, should be viewable by parents and school officials. The law also applies to former students under age 19, unless they have graduated.
The law takes its name from a woman who said she was sexually abused, at age 12, by a teacher who fostered a relationship with her. She did not identify the teacher but said he is still working in the state.
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