Dive Brief:

• A spike in the number of uncovered sexual relationships between students and teachers has led some districts to ponder ways to ensure social media connectivity does not cross a line and enable secret affairs between teachers and students. 
• The focus on social media stems from the uncovering of a digital trail, indicating to some that this is the main vehicle by which these inappropriate relationships begin. 
• Some remedies? Some districts are only allowing communication via district email, another prohibits teachers from accepting friend requests from students. Missouri once passed a law banning all electronic communication between teachers and students, however, it was challenged by unions and overturned so that each district can create its policy. 

Dive Insight:

While many social media rules aim to halt inappropriate interactions between teachers and students, unions often argue that they create additional work for educators and administrators. For example, in the winter Indiana tried to pass a bill, which would require any electronic communications, like emails and text messages, between teachers and students be forwarded to the school’s principal and the student’s parents.

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