Point-counterpoint

Why do teachers need to know what is going on in their students' personal lives? Some may say they know how to help them with their family issues and get through daily struggles. Teachers spend approximately seven hours a day with their students. There is no need to contact students socially outside the classroom. The student's family on the other hand is OK to call and talk to about the child's progress.

As a future teacher, I believe that teachers should not be able to become friends with their students on social networks. Teachers have plenty of time throughout the day to get to know their students and do not need the Internet to see how they spend their time outside the classroom. Once a student posts something on a social network it is known to the world. When a teacher becomes a friend to her students, she is losing her professionalism. Teachers are not paid to be students' friends, but rather to lead them and teach them how to become a productive member of society. If a student wants his teacher to know what is going on in his life, he should take the time to talk to his teacher face-to-face. Relationships are more sincere if people can talk to each other in person.

When should the law say students may become friends with their teachers? Once they have graduated that grade? Once they graduate high school? Once they get to a certain age and become an adult? It is hard to distinguish when someone should say it is okay to become friends with their teachers. The easiest way to stop this is to say that it is illegal no matter where the child is at in their education.

Overall I think it should be the teacher's decision whether she wants to be friends with her students. We hope that teachers and students can respect each other's personal lives. Being an early childhood education major, I most likely will not have students that will have a social network account, but I know it will come up in my profession at some point. Personally, I will never become "friends" with my future students because I know we need our own space and want to keep my professionalism as a teacher.