SOCIAL MEDIA AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS By Jill Coyle ISD 196

 Facebook  500 million active users  Twitter  165 million active users

 China  India  Facebook  United State of America

 50% of Facebook’s active users log in every day  The average Facebook user has 130 FB friends

FB Blocking in Schools – ISD 196’s random survey  16 metro districts block student use  1 metro district allows student use  11 metro districts block staff use  6 metro districts allow staff use StudentsStaff

 150 million Facebook users access Facebook on their mobile device  Mobile users are twice as active as non-mobile users But….

 It is becoming common – perhaps expected – for businesses and public organizations to have a facebook site.

 When establishing an official site consider:  Comment moderation  Records retention  Site administration and quality  Consistency within the district

 When establishing an official policy consider:  Involving stakeholders across the district  Reviewing the policies of similar organizations  Cross-referencing acceptable use, communications or advertising policies

Policy content may include:  Differing guidelines for official sites, classroom use and private use  Guidance on appropriate and inappropriate use  Cautions regarding private data  Limits on use of school logos or mascots  Cautions regarding maltreatment reporting and harassment

Conduct Training  Electronic training  In-person training  Building specific training

So….what problems can all this social networking create for the school district employer?

Anecdotes?

 Staff “friending” students  Staff “friending” parents BOUNDARY ISSUES on FB

 Disclosure of student information  Disclosure of personnel information Data Privacy Violations on FB

 Maltreatment reporting obligations  Responding to students at risk  MSHSL obligations triggered by student postings Revelations by Vulnerable Students on FB

Staff Posting of Indiscreet or Reputation-Harming Content  Text or pictures revealing illegal conduct  Text or pictures revealing conduct of a sexual nature  Text or pictures revealing inebriation  Text or pictures revealing controversial opinions in the community  Text or pictures complaining about administration, coworkers or students  Text or pictures generally depicting poor judgment or an intemperate attitude

Harassment on FB District Harassment Policy  Harassment of coworkers on FB  Harassment of students on FB

 Nexus to School  Search Concerns  Privacy Rights  Free Speech Rights  Discrimination Issues Disciplinary Concerns

Open Meeting Law Concerns  A quorum of the school board actively participating on a social media site may raise issues under Minnesota’s Open Meeting Law

 Policy/Training  Blocking (?)  “Official” Pages  Professional Pages Solutions

DISCUSSION