Huffington

Saw an article on Huffington Post today.  It was talking about whether or not teachers should be banned from using social networking sites like Facebook.  Apparently the teachers are getting together & talking about all those little beasties they have to deal with all day.  This also came up on Soda head & I responded:

No, they shouldn't be banned.  If they're found to be making libelous/slanderous statements then they can be sued.  If not the 1st Amendment applies to them as well as anyone's kids.  If you're kids are bratty & being talked, then it's their own doing. If parents don't like it, then they can do something to corral their kids.  When I was in school I was perfectly aware of which teachers liked me & which didn't, this just makes it a little more clear.  Teachers are allowed to voice their opinions & are not required to like every little "angel" that goes through their classroom.

It's amazing in this country of "freedom", when something comes along we don't like, how quick we are to want to censor, edit or outright ban it.  How very Unamerican, but typical, so maybe it is American.

We have taken so much away from teachers as it is, why not take a little bit more.  We have edited how & what they teach.  We have told them to teach to the test.  We barely pay them in most states, yet some political pundits act teachers are gold-diggers.   Their retirements & unions have been threatened.  My only ? is, why in the world would anyone want to be a teacher?

Teachers, Police Officers, Firefighters & other municipal workers are usually employed by the city/county & tend to be severely underpaid. Can you can imagine being a police officer in NYC trying to survive on 60K?  A city where a 90 square foot apartment can rent for $750.  Just imagine if he/she has kids.  Rent alone for a 250 square foot, one bedroom apartment could easily eat up $18,000. Add to that #200 - $500 in utilities.  Then there goes over a third of their salary.  That doesn't include anything like taxes, insurance or transportation.  Oh & by the way, that 60K is for an officer who's been at the job a while, starting pay is much lower.

Back to the point, teachers should not be banished from social networking sites, just because they talk about your kids.  Nor should they be fired because of talking about your kids or for just otherwise being human.  Teachers are not & are not required to be saints.  They can talk about people.  They can have a beer.  They can be real people with lives outside of teaching society's little monsters.

As for you with little monsters, most cities have leash laws.

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