CAT+689+Case+Study

Background Information ** The phenomenon of social networking and its effect on student behavior is a frequent topic of discussion. Stories of violent behavior and criminal acts related to MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube pervade the news headlines. Most of these occurrences revolve around the lives of impressionable teenagers who are striving to gain approval within their peer groups. However, many teachers and administrators also participate in the use of social networking sites. There are occasional stories in the news where adults use these sites to stalk or prey on young people. Some of these stories involve teachers or administrators. This behavior, while illegal and offensive, will not be the focus of this case. Instead, the ethical responsibility of teachers and administrators who use social networking tools will be examined. According to Barrett (2006), “social networking sites gather data submitted by members that is then stored as user profiles. The data or profiles can then be shared among the members of the site” (p. 16). These profiles often include personal photos and blogs which reveal beliefs, opinions, and other personal information about the member. This information is provided and shared voluntarily by the member. In some cases, teachers and administrators are posting information or photos on their profiles that can be considered distasteful and potentially offensive ( Policinski, 2008). Ian Shapira (2008) reports that the majority of the teachers in the Washington, D.C. area use social networking and other web sites for positive educational purposes. However, this report also suggests that many young teachers display images and information that reveal “wild behavior” that could potentially harm their professional career. Teachers in multiple states have been fired or suspended for postings on social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube (Shapira, 2008). There are two major issues that arise when teachers use social networking sites. The first is the right to free speech, and the second is the responsibility for appropriate professional behavior required by respective school system policies. Ribble, Bailey, and Ross (2004) state that “digital behavior makes everyone a role model for students” (p. 7). Many systems may consider teachers with inappropriate content on their social networking site to be irresponsible, and therefore, potentially harmful to the mission of the school system. However, the right to freedom of expression raises the questions of what should be considered inappropriate and should work ethic be questioned because of one’s social behaviors.   **Preview ** Social networking sites have gained popularity with both students and adults. Many teachers and administrators have joined these networks, and therefore, are posting personal information and photos on their profiles. Many of these profiles have been labeled as unprofessional, and many provide photos and information considered inappropriate by schools and communities. Suspensions and firings have occurred in many states due to this inappropriate content. However, some teachers argue that professional and private lives should be examined separately.
 * The Vicious Cycle of Social Networking **
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Focus Questions ** As you study the following case, focus on these questions:  (1)  If teacher performance is not hindered by the social networking site, should the inappropriate behavior displayed online away from work matter?

 (2)  What are the potential problems for those in public positions who choose to display their non-public lives online?

 (3)  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">What is inappropriate content?
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The Case ** <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Mr. Jones was a language arts teacher in his fourth year at Winkerton High School. He was only twenty-five years old, and he was well-liked by both students and faculty. Outside of school, Mr. Jones enjoyed many social activities and could frequently be seen at the most popular clubs and concert venues. He gained a reputation for being the life of the party. However, he was very careful to keep his social life from interfering with his professional life. At school, he was the innovative teacher who integrated technology into his classroom and always seemed to be up to date on the latest tech trends and tools. He made learning fun for the students, and in turn, their achievement levels increased. With his popularity and technology background, many students soon discovered that Mr. Jones had a Facebook profile. They were all eager to gain his friendship on the social networking site. Mr. Jones gladly accepted students who requested his friendship. This friendship enabled the students to see photos of Mr. Jones while he was in college. Through these photos, the students quickly discovered that Mr. Jones was the life of the party while he was in school. Photos of Mr. Jones with alcoholic beverages and girls in revealing attire began to circulate around the community. Parents soon discovered these photos and demanded for action to be taken against Mr. Jones. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">The principal facing this dilemma at Winkerton High School was Mr. Conrad MacKenzie. He was in his fifth year as principal after teaching at WHS for 17 years. He knew that Mr. Jones enjoyed a hearty social life and felt this was an excellent time to appease the parents of the community. He suspended Mr. Jones for the remainder of the semester and demanded that he remove the photos from his Facebook profile if he wanted to return next year. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">A few weeks after the action was taken against Mr. Jones, Mr. Conrad MacKenzie was faced with another dilemma. This one was also related to an online profile. Mr. MacKenzie had been divorced for three years, and two months before suspending Mr. Jones, Mr. MacKenzie set up a personal ad through an internet dating service. This ad did not contain revealing images, but it did contain personal information about his interests and activities that could have been deemed questionable. Mr. MacKenzie thought that no one from the school could access the service or his profile. However, during a computer class at school, a student happened to discover Mr. MacKenzie’s personal ad. She asked the computer teacher, Mr. Stevenson, if she could print something for another class. Mr. Stevenson, whose lab was always malfunctioning, was preoccupied with fixing a computer that had locked up. He told the student that she had permission to print. He did not know that she was printing Mr. MacKenzie’s personal ad. The ad quickly spread throughout the school. Upon discovery, Mr. MacKenzie quickly removed his ad. Two days later, Mr. Stevenson was called to the office. Mr. MacKenzie had discovered which student had started circulating the ad, and the student told him that Mr. Stevenson said she could print the ad. Mr. MacKenzie was upset with Mr. Stevenson and threatened to reprimand him. Mr. Stevenson left the office awaiting his punishment. As the weeks went by, Mr. Stevenson received no punishment for allowing the student to print the ad. The issue of the personal ad never came up again in conversation between Mr. MacKenzie and Mr. Stevenson. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">As for Mr. Jones, he never returned to Winkerton High School and is currently working as a recruiter for a state university.
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Discussion Questions: ** <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> 1)  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">If you were Mr. MacKenzie, how would you have dealt with Mr. Jones? <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> 2)   <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Should Mr. MacKenzie be held accountable for his online personal ad? <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> 3)   <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Why do you think Mr. MacKenzie never followed up on the punishment of Mr. Stevenson? Did Mr. Stevenson deserve punishment? <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial"> 4)   <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Should schools scrutinize social networking profiles of potential or current teachers? Why or Why not? <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> **<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Links ** <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Facebook: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">[|www.facebook.com] <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">MySpace: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">[|www.myspace.com] <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> YouTube: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">[|www.youtube.com] <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> Facebook can ruin your life. And so can MySpace, Bebo…: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">[|www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/technology/article3421337.ece?service=print] <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> Virginia Teacher Suspended for Painting With Butt: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">[|www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,236201,00.html] <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> Resources ** <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Barrett, J. (2006). My space or yours?. //Learning & Leading with Technology,// //34//(1), 14-19. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Policinski, G. (2008, May 1). Teachers’ private postings may make waves. //North Country Gazette.// Retrieved May 1, 2008, from <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">[|http://www.northcountrygazette.org/2008/05/01/postings_make_waves/] <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Ribble, M., Bailey, G., & Ross, T. (2004). Digital citizenship: Addressing appropriate technology behavior. //Learning & Leading with Technology, 32// (1), 6-11. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"> Shapira, I. (2008, April 28). When young teachers go wild on the web: Public profiles raise questions of propriety and privacy. //Washington Post.// Retrieved April 28, 2008, from [|http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/27/ AR2008042702213.html?hpid%3Dtopnews&sub=AR]
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