With the Pew Research Center reporting 72 percent of adult internet users on Facebook, and 81 percent of teens using social media, you’re likely to find both teachers and students on Facebook. The big question, however, is whether students should be friends with their teachers on Facebook. The short answer? No.
In the interest of collecting as many opinions on this topic as possible, I decided to conduct an informal survey with my own group of Facebook friends, many of whom are teachers and coaches at varying levels, middle school through collegiate. Not only did all of the teachers, teaching in school districts across the country, say that it is against policy to “friend” or “follow” students on social media, but coaches chimed in, saying that NCAA policy forbids fraternization between coaches and student athletes online as well.
While a recent change to the NCAA’s social media policy has loosened
