Dayton puts limits on teachers’ use of Facebook

Associated Press

DAYTON, Ohio

Teachers cannot become friendly with students on Facebook and other social networking sites and can’t text or send them instant messages under a new policy in one of Ohio’s largest school districts.

The Dayton Public Schools policy, which also prohibits teachers from responding to students’ attempts at communicating through any personal or professional accounts not approved by the district, was adopted after consulting with the Ohio School Boards Association, the Dayton Daily News reported.

The Dayton district is one of many around Ohio that have contacted the association on the issue of teachers and social media, Sara Clark, the association’s deputy director of legal services told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

“It’s a hot topic for school districts right now, and we are getting more calls on it,” Clark said.

Clark said there is no way of knowing how many districts have such policies. It is up to each district to decide whether to follow any of the association’s model that suggests districts bar fraternization between staff and students through electronic media.

School districts can’t ignore social media as tools of communication, but it can be misused, Hollie Reedy, the association’s chief counsel told the Dayton Daily News.

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