A lot of time is spent on Facebook these days, especially by high school students. It is notorious for becoming the most common median for procrastination. Many a student has said they will get on Facebook for a few minutes before starting their homework, and don’t get off for two hours.
This, of course, will lead to a lot of internet contact people may or may not want. But at the same time, Facebook and other social networking sites provide students will many opportunities to communicate with teachers and coaches. It is for this reason that forcing districts to set policies regarding teacher-student relations on social networking sites is a futile and useless attempt to curtail sexual harassment that begins on Facebook.
The Amy Hestir Davis Student Protection Act may have good intentions, but its reasoning is flawed.
The bill states that districts may set their own policies regarding teacher student contact in an attempt to curtail child abuse by teachers.
As good as this may sound, one realizes it is flawed when they realize that social networking sites are only a median for those who may have evil intentions with students.
And yes, the kind of activity the law tries to prevent is evil, but it is also true that it is impossible to legislate the pedophile out of someone. If a teacher actually has a desire to hurt children, they will most likely try to find another way to do it other than Facebook, Twitter or any other social networking site.
In addition to simply not producing the desired effect, the bill addresses something that simply does not need to be addressed. The bill states that districts must have a policy for student-teahcer contact.
It is ridiculous for the state to require a policy in an attempt to prevent sexual harassment because so few of teachers are sexual predators. In this sense, the bill is a bit of an overreaction.
The law may do more harm than good, as it may end necessary contact between athletes and coaches, for example, in an attempt to curtail child abuse. Athletes and coaches may need to communicate information to one another such as practice times. But if a district so chooses, it may outlaw this kind of contact.
