Teacher Fired Over Blog

whitsy · June 2012

Clicky

What do you think? Should she be fired over a blog? The school is saying she was fired over "performance issues," but say in the same sentence that she was a "satisfactory teacher."

I keep a teaching blog, but I don't talk about students in it. Just lessons, classroom ideas, etc. I think that's where she crossed the line. I only skimmed her posts, but it doesn't look like she specifically discusses a particular student or students, but I'm not ruling it out.

Do you think someone would be fired for keeping a blog about their job if that person wasn't a teacher?

I don't know if this will spark any discussion, but it was interesting to me.

dumdumfroggie · June 2012

Well, in it, it states she was bad-mouthing the staff and administrators of the school, so yes, I do think she should have been fired for this, if it was in fact true. An acquaintance of mine was recently fired for a comment he put on FB about his employer. Stupidly, he has his boss friended and that's how they found out.

If it was just a blog on teaching with no specifics or derogatory comments, then no, I do not agree with it.

However, if she was speaking about staff or students (even without mentioning names), then yes, I do agree with it.

Meegles4 · June 2012

I just skimmed the article, but yes people are definitely fired for blogging about their jobs even when they're not teachers.

I read a couple blogs by teachers. They are more personal blogs that occasionally mention teaching and when they do, they don't use names or even school names. Some of the bloggers are also fully anonymous so you don't even know who THEY are.

I like it when they write about their jobs and their students, but I do think a line is crossed when you start mentioning names or really disparaging your employer. If that's what this lady was doing, then yes, action should probably be taken against her. When I worked for a nonprofit, if I had started openly blogging about how much the place sucked I probably would've been reprimanded or fired too.

But, I do think we get a little over sensitive about this stuff and rush to discipline things that don't need to be disciplined. It's become a really delicate line with what we're "allowed" to put out in Interwebz.

whitsy · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teacher-fired-over-blog?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8be47363-fa54-4918-bfd6-d3355d58da6dPost:c636fa08-c3ab-48a5-9538-d29d05334c43">Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog</a>:
[QUOTE]I just skimmed the article, but yes people are definitely fired for blogging about their jobs even when they're not teachers. I read a couple blogs by teachers. They are more personal blogs that occasionally mention teaching and when they do, they don't use names or even school names. Some of the bloggers are also fully anonymous so you don't even know who THEY are. I like it when they write about their jobs and their students, but I do think a line is crossed when you start mentioning names or really disparaging your employer. If that's what this lady was doing, then yes, action should probably be taken against her. When I worked for a nonprofit, if I had started openly blogging about how much the place sucked I probably would've been reprimanded or fired too. But, I do think we get a little over sensitive about this stuff and rush to discipline things that don't need to be disciplined. <strong>It's become a really delicate line with what we're "allowed" to put out in Interwebz.</strong>
Posted by Meegles4[/QUOTE]

<div>True! I guess if you're not sure, don't put it out there.</div>

getaclue44 · June 2012

I know that people in corporate world there seems to be more leeway--my sister runs an HR department for a corporation and I complain about it all the time--but that might be different depending on the job and the nature of the blog. I do know that teachers are held to a much higher standard conduct wise than the rest of the population of workers. I am okay with it because I signed up for it--but things like being unmarried and pregnant all of a sudden means you are a bad teacher--it is crazy....

Meegles4 · June 2012

Exactly. And that's frustrating. I had a personal blog for awhile, but always felt like I censored myself because I was never sure how someone reading it would take things. So, I'd avoid talking about work, or friend drama, or family drama. And then I was like, what's left?! The funny thing was it started as an anonymous blog, and it was still hard to not overly censor myself!

whitsy · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teacher-fired-over-blog?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8be47363-fa54-4918-bfd6-d3355d58da6dPost:81230df4-85d5-457b-9510-0cb8daeb8d64">Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog</a>:
[QUOTE]I know that people in corporate world there seems to be more leeway--my sister runs an HR department for a corporation and I complain about it all the time--but that might be different depending on the job and the nature of the blog.<strong> I do know that teachers are held to a much higher standard conduct wise than the rest of the population of workers.</strong> I am okay with it because I signed up for it--but things like being unmarried and pregnant all of a sudden means you are a bad teacher--it is crazy....
Posted by jdandrea[/QUOTE]

<div>That's why I wondered if their blogger hadn't been a teacher, if she still would have been fired. But it seems like more and more, employers are looking at things on the internet as a determination of hiring and firing.</div>

cookie0803 · June 2012

Personally, while I think it's harsh, I don't disagree with her punishment. I wasn't a good student in high school. I didn't turn my work in and rarely stayed for an entire class period. I was really depressed, but didn't want to talk to anyone about it. If I had read some of the things the article said this teacher has written about her students, I would have been pretty devastated.

whitsy · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teacher-fired-over-blog?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8be47363-fa54-4918-bfd6-d3355d58da6dPost:c399fe0b-7ece-40af-888c-19e86629f8aa">Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog</a>:
[QUOTE]Personally, while I think it's harsh, I don't disagree with her punishment. I wasn't a good student in high school. I didn't turn my work in and rarely stayed for an entire class period. I was really depressed, but didn't want to talk to anyone about it. If I had read some of the things the article said this teacher has written about her students, I would have been pretty devastated.
Posted by cookie0803[/QUOTE]

<div>Ooh excellent point there. I hadn't thought about that at all.</div><div>
</div><div>On a related note, what about students bashing teachers? The courts have ruled (although the tide is slowly turning in the favor of teachers) that students can say whatever they want due to free speech. And if something like that isn't in her contract, should it be grounds for firing?</div>

Legu · June 2012

I sacked someone a few months back, because he stated on his FB that he worked for [company] and at some point decided to join that popular group "I hate all blacks and gays". Breakdown of trust, bringing company name into disrepute... Both gross misconduct offences, 48 hours later, no job. You really gotta watch what you sayin on public forums... It's crazy.

crfische · June 2012

I'm pretty sure teachers should be held to a higher standard than students...

And I don't think they should be able to say whatever they want about teachers and get away with it. Most schools around here, students are still consequenced if they bad mouth teachers in some way. Now, if the bashing is on the internet, I'm not sure about that.

Mrs.B6302007 · June 2012

In Response to Re:Teacher Fired Over Blog:[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog:Personally, while I think it's harsh, I don't disagree with her punishment. I wausn't a good student in high school. I didn't turn my work in and rarely stayed for an entire class period. I was really depressed, but didn't want to talk to anyone about it. If I had read some of the things the article said this teacher has written about her students, I would have been pretty devastated.Posted by cookie0803Ooh excellent point there. I hadn't thought about that at all.On a related note, what about students bashing teachers? The courts have ruled (although the tide is slowly turning in the favor of teachers) that students can say whatever they want due to free speech. And if something like that isn't in her contract, should it be grounds for firing? Posted by whitsy[/QUOTE] yeah like rate my teacher.com

dumdumfroggie · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teacher-fired-over-blog?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8be47363-fa54-4918-bfd6-d3355d58da6dPost:95427855-88f3-43ef-81ed-b6b38195fd30">Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog : Ooh excellent point there. I hadn't thought about that at all. On a related note, what about students bashing teachers? The courts have ruled (although the tide is slowly turning in the favor of teachers) that students can say whatever they want due to free speech. And if something like that isn't in her contract, should it be grounds for firing?
Posted by whitsy[/QUOTE]

<div>The difference is, teachers are adults, so yes, they should be held at a higher standard than their students. However, I don't agree that students should be able to say whatever they want with no consequences. If it is something said in school, or in a school function, then detentions and such should be applicable.</div><div>
</div><div>However, if it's said outside of school? I'm not sure. At that point, it's really up to the parents to discipline. </div>

cookie0803 · June 2012

Similarly, we had a student at my school who wrote nasty things about many students and teachers, and she was expelled. ETA: she wrote them on a blog or something similar, so this was online. I'm not sure if this happened during school, on her own time, or both.

Meegles4 · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teacher-fired-over-blog?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:8be47363-fa54-4918-bfd6-d3355d58da6dPost:66f92d65-bf0b-4ea3-9d37-cdc8b3044e34">Re:Teacher Fired Over Blog</a>:
[QUOTE]I sacked someone a few months back, because he stated on his FB that he worked for [company] and at some point decided to join that popular group "I hate all blacks and gays". Breakdown of trust, bringing company name into disrepute... Both gross misconduct offences, 48 hours later, no job. You really gotta watch what you sayin on public forums... It's crazy.
Posted by Legu[/QUOTE]

See, and this is an example that I would consider "over sensitive". Had the employee said: "[company] hates all blacks and gays". Then yes, firable. But, just because the employee openly works for you and then, unrelated, also openly shared his opinions on another topic, I just don't think that's firable. I could see if you were thinking of hiring the person, that you would take it into account, but does that fact that he shared that opinion make his job performance worse? No. I also don't know if I see how it reflects negatively on your company. We all have opinions, are we not allowed to share them anymore, regardless of how unpleasant some people may find them?

Obviously I'm not in HR, and there may very well have been other factors here, but it concerns me that I can't share who I'm voting for or how I feel on a certain topic, while also having my place of employment listed somewhere else on my FB page. My thoughts on whether gays should marry or who the next president should be have nothing to do with my quality of work.

whitsy · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teacher-fired-over-blog?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8be47363-fa54-4918-bfd6-d3355d58da6dPost:1d9c0507-860f-4e79-adb7-b51fd8fea306">Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog</a>:
[QUOTE]<strong>I'm pretty sure teachers should be held to a higher standard than students... </strong>And I don't think they should be able to say whatever they want about teachers and get away with it. Most schools around here, students are still consequenced if they bad mouth teachers in some way. Now, if the bashing is on the internet, I'm not sure about that.
Posted by crfische[/QUOTE]

<div>Oh I agree completely.</div><div>
</div><div>Students are disciplined at school if they bash a teacher, but the internet is still a gray area. More and more lawsuits are being filed against students who "bully" teachers online. Only recently have those rulings been in favor of the teacher. Typically the rulings have been students can say whatever they want, since they are not on school property.</div><div>
</div><div>EDIT: And to add on to that, it being on the internet leads to, what if the student posts it while they are in school? We've had issues with students posting about teachers during the school day, when cell phones are not allowed during the school day. But if we don't see the phone, then at this point, we don't have any recourse, regardless of what they posted while at school.</div>

AdeleDazeem · June 2012

I have a blog where I discuss science and what it's like to be a researching scientist who works in a laboratory every day. I do not state where I work or post any frustrations about where I work for this reason. Do I have them? Hell yes. But, it's unprofressional. The internet is the public whether people like it or not. If you want to openly discuss your thoughts in a diary format, you better password protect yourself. If you think the internet is not watching, listening, and remembering everything you write, then you are woefully niave. The same holds true for this site...

Nickie431 · June 2012

We don't know the unpublishable content of her blog, but the Supreme Court ruled a long time ago that obscenity is not protected as free speech. (Obviously what constitutes obscenity has changed with public standards over the years.)

And when what a teacher does in his/her free time interferes with the ability to perform the job effectively, it definitely becomes the school's business. The fact that many students were requesting not to be assigned to this teacher's classes demonstrates that her personal life was impacting her function as a teacher. Also, how is she supposed to maintain appropriate authority and at least marginal respect from her students when she's not respecting them?

whitsy · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teacher-fired-over-blog?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8be47363-fa54-4918-bfd6-d3355d58da6dPost:84c3e7d3-a0c2-42d1-8b43-1b790b28c738">Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog : That ruling has to do with taking LEGAL action against the students, like kicking them out of school or fining them for damages. I think anything disparaging written about a person should be taken down by FB or wherever. When you start harrassing others with your opinions of them on a public forum like the internet, then you are infringing on THEIR rights. However, if a 16 year old writes the same kind of blog bIIItching about their job at McDonalds, I'm betting they would lose their job and the courts would uphold it. I think the teacher is also covered under freedom of speech, as in she shouldn't be denied government aid or programs, fined by the goverment, or thrown in jail for her blog. However, freedom of speech does NOT guarentee freedom from reprecussions for what you say.
Posted by StageManager14[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>Right Stage. It just seems like anytime that gets brought up, the end result is still that the student can say whatever they want without repurcussions, and I think there should be some sort of punishment for that. </div><div>
</div><div>Take for example, a student last year who wrote on his FB status about wanting to take a lawnmower and run over a certain teacher and later wrote about hitting her dog with a car if he saw her walking it. Since the student was at home, and the parents didn't care, nothing happened to the student. I don't even know that charges could have been pressed because the kid is 11; his parents said he didn't have access to neither a car nor a lawnmower, so it was just a kid ranting on FB. It's kinda creepy though, that a kid can say that, publicly, and no action can be taken.

</div>

whitsy · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teacher-fired-over-blog?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8be47363-fa54-4918-bfd6-d3355d58da6dPost:6ffe7f5f-f435-4cc7-86f4-4c7818b0140f">Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog</a>:
[QUOTE]We don't know the unpublishable content of her blog, but the Supreme Court ruled a long time ago that obscenity is not protected as free speech. (Obviously what constitutes obscenity has changed with public standards over the years.) And when what a teacher does in his/her free time interferes with the ability to perform the job effectively, it definitely becomes the school's business. <strong>The fact that many students were requesting not to be assigned to this teacher's classes demonstrates that her personal life was impacting her function as a teacher.</strong> Also, how is she supposed to maintain appropriate authority and at least marginal respect from her students when she's not respecting them?
Posted by Nickie431[/QUOTE]

<div>That's a great point. When you point it this way, any employer could fire someone over that. I'm glad you put it that way. I hadn't considered it actually affecting her job as a teacher, but I totally see that.</div>

chelseamb11 · June 2012

To answer your comment at the beginning, Whitsy, about them firing her for lack of performance or whatever, because of how unions are set up, that's probably the only way they could truly get her out of the job (even there, she still got to come back and teach). If this woman was SO disgruntled with her job and the people she teaches that she needed to make a public blog about it, she shouldn't be teaching IMO. Give that job to a person who wants it. There are plenty of good unemployed teachers out there that would love to have her job

whitsy · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teacher-fired-over-blog?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8be47363-fa54-4918-bfd6-d3355d58da6dPost:e2cdfa4c-8b2e-408d-94a1-e7d231ca7bf6">Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog</a>:
[QUOTE]To answer your comment at the beginning, Whitsy, about them firing her for lack of performance or whatever, because of how unions are set up, that's probably the only way they could truly get her out of the job (even there, she still got to come back and teach). If this woman was SO disgruntled with her job and the people she teaches that she needed to make a public blog about it, she shouldn't be teaching IMO. Give that job to a person who wants it. There are plenty of good unemployed teachers out there that would love to have her job
Posted by chelseamb11[/QUOTE]

<div>true that!</div>

chelseamb11 · June 2012

And seriously? She wanted to keep it anonymous but was stupid enough to take a pic of herself?

[Deleted User] · June 2012

Honestly...how effective of a teacher is she if she is dumb enough to have a blog? Seriously? She did not realize once it's out there it's out there??
Too many excellent teachers out of work, due to the economy. Replace her with one of them.
Let it be a lesson to HER, and move on.

chelseamb11 · June 2012

Andplusalso (sorry for my ramblings), if she thinks her students are such horrible twats, why not try and actually make a difference for them. Lead by example. Be a good influence. Don't lower yourself to their level and biiitch about them on the internet.

lacey3eb · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teacher-fired-over-blog?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:8be47363-fa54-4918-bfd6-d3355d58da6dPost:0250e32c-998c-4d53-918a-a12025e5a193">Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog</a>:
[QUOTE]Honestly...how effective of a teacher is she if she is dumb enough to have a blog? Seriously? She did not realize once it's out there it's out there?? Too many excellent teachers out of work, due to the economy. Replace her with one of them. Let it be a lesson to HER, and move on.
Posted by IamTheMommaOfTheBride[/QUOTE]

Teachers can have blogs and there is nothing dumb about that. It is, however, dumb to write anything negative about your school, students, or be too specific about any situations. I am a school counselor and I love reading school counseling blogs to get fresh ideas I can use for my program. I plan to start my own school counseling blog this summer. I do not plan to include where I work, anything specific about students, pictures that include students, etc. I'm sure teachers benefit greatly from reading each other's blogs for ideas to use in the classroom as well. You just have to be smart about it.

[Deleted User] · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teacher-fired-over-blog?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:8be47363-fa54-4918-bfd6-d3355d58da6dPost:e6c0866e-9615-4614-b1c0-66ab69d09ac0">Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog : Teachers can have blogs and there is nothing dumb about that. It is, however, dumb to write anything negative about your school, students, or be too specific about any situations. I am a school counselor and I love reading school counseling blogs to get fresh ideas I can use for my program. I plan to start my own school counseling blog this summer. I do not plan to include where I work, anything specific about students, pictures that include students, etc. I'm sure teachers benefit greatly from reading each other's blogs for ideas to use in the classroom as well. You just have to be smart about it.
Posted by lacey3eb[/QUOTE]

Sorry, my post was confusing. I agree with you. Professional blogs are very helpful.
B!tch blogs just get you fired.

whitsy · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teacher-fired-over-blog?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8be47363-fa54-4918-bfd6-d3355d58da6dPost:0113c730-8164-40c6-a7a3-f95b76f6ed32">Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog</a>:
[QUOTE]And seriously? She wanted to keep it anonymous but was stupid enough to take a pic of herself?
Posted by chelseamb11[/QUOTE]

<div>Right? I thought the same thing!</div><div>
</div><div>I keep a blog, Iamthemomma, but it is a professional blog. I don't write anything in it that I wouldn't want my principal to read. And it's linked up to my FB account, so there's a great chance actually that she might see it, since I have several of my coworkers as friends.</div>

pkontk · June 2012

I know there is a blog (I forget what its called) about the trials and tribulations of working in the nonprofit world. The writer does vent sometimes, and makes a point to remain anonymous (it isn't linked to his or her email address, no pics, no info that would clue anyone in as to what nonprofit he or she works at). Its very good, and very true. If she had something like that it would have been a lot easier to hide, and a lot harder to prove it was her. Teaching is HARD (Whit and Chels, I admire your teaching, I couldn't put up with kids' crap) and sometimes I'm sure teachers' friends and SOs get sick of their venting about how little Johnny threw yet another spitball.

andrea2473 · June 2012

It's important that students have teachers that believe in them. Now that her feeling about some students' laziness has been made public, I think it will definitely make her a less effective teacher and that the administration had every right to fire her.

chelseamb11 · June 2012

<p>In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_teacher-fired-over-blog?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:8be47363-fa54-4918-bfd6-d3355d58da6dPost:ae478736-0f6c-47b8-8202-f808a39700bb">Re: Teacher Fired Over Blog</a>:
[QUOTE]I know there is a blog (I forget what its called) about the trials and tribulations of working in the nonprofit world. The writer does vent sometimes, and makes a point to remain anonymous (it isn't linked to his or her email address, no pics, no info that would clue anyone in as to what nonprofit he or she works at). Its very good, and very true. If she had something like that it would have been a lot easier to hide, and a lot harder to prove it was her. Teaching is HARD (Whit and Chels, I admire your teaching, I couldn't put up with kids' crap) and sometimes I'm sure teachers' friends and SOs get sick of their venting about how little Johnny threw yet another spitball.
Posted by pkontk[/QUOTE]

Well and teachers SHOULD be able to vent. That's what friends and/or SO's are for. Not the internet. I'm not mad that she vented. I'm mad that her venting was continuous whining and complaining about her students in a very vulgar manner while she didn't even TRY to do anything to change it or inspire them. Not to mention, she put that constant b!tching on the INTERNET. WITH A PHOTO OF HERSELF. Stupid teacher of the year award. She deserved to get fired and should be replaced by a teacher who understands that teenagers do suck at times, but still wants to go to work every day.</p>

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