Facebook is now the leading social networking site, with over 250 million active users . The fastest growing population on Facebook? Adults over the age of 35. Teachers are now a presence on Facebook and other social networking sites, which has led to problems in some instances. So what should students and teachers know before they post on their profiles?

Nancy Willard, Executive Director of the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use, says that teachers must understand that what they say on Facebook can influence their jobs and their futures. “Teachers need to understand the same things that we’re teaching students”, she said, “anything thats put into electronic form can be made very public … and can be used to assess their values and standards which could have a negative impact on their career”. Willard said that teachers need to keep in mind that any dissemination of information about students could violate the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. ” If a teacher discloses on Facebook in a conversation with one student what another student has done in class, that could be a violation.”

For public school students, the law is on their side in many cases. Larry Wadsack, a St. Louis lawyer and education law expert, says that schools would have to prove that whatever a student posted will influence the daily activities of the school. “The big hurdle for school districts (is that )they have to be able to show a clear nexus between student conduct and a material and substantial disruption in the activities of a school or school discipline”, he said. “Each case is going to be evaluated on the facts (and) courts are going to loook at the school districts to prove it. Clearly its not enough that a student just says offensive things about a principal or a teacher”.

At most St. Louis-area schools, Facebook and other social networking sites are inaccessible during instructional hours. Rockwood, Hazelwood, and University City School Districts all block social networking sites, as do MICDS and Saint Louis University High School. John Moran, principal at SLUHS, said that his students are acting as “representatives of the school” at all times and that “if a boy is behaving inappropriately at the mall, we would take action” and has the right to do the same regarding online postings.

However, those blocks are easily bypassed by students. Melanie Hinzpeter, a 2009 graduate of Lafayette High School, said, “Of course people have figured out how to get around it. They use the proxy websites and they can get on almost everything. Usually teachers are sitting there watching students on the computers, but I can walk into a room and usually see 1 or 2 students on Facebook or Myspace”. And Courtney McBay, a senior at Lafayette, said that most students now use their smartphones to get online without having to worry about filters on school computers.

Students and teachers should keep in mind that no matter where they are accessing social networking sites, its important to realize their visibility online. Stephen Balkam, CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute, said, “Would you be willing to have whatever you say plastered across the front of the New York Times? Do you really want a picture of you drinking the night before on there? Do you really want a picture of you getting out of the shower on there? What are the implications of positing that tirade against another kid in school or against your parents. Think that through.”