Is it appropriate for a high school teacher to give his cell phone number to his students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coach, perfectly fine. My middle schooler and my high schooler both have their coaches cell number. How else are they supposed to let them know they have to miss practice or are late and need let into the gym or whatever ?

These comments are ridiculous. Some of you are so paranoid.

Coaches can use apps to communicate with their team.

[Anonymous]

It is sad that we have come to this point in our society. IMO it is very nice that a teacher is doing everything they can to be reachable and responsive to students, including providing personal contact info. My kids have some teachers at are unresponsive to emails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is sad that we have come to this point in our society. IMO it is very nice that a teacher is doing everything they can to be reachable and responsive to students, including providing personal contact info. My kids have some teachers at are unresponsive to emails.

I agree it is sad, however it is also sad that some parents are in denial about the realistic risks to students when teachers and coaches cross lines that don't need to be crossed. It's not paranoia, it's reality. Unfortunately there are a number of people, both men and women, who find ways to have access to minors for nefarious purposes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is sad that we have come to this point in our society. IMO it is very nice that a teacher is doing everything they can to be reachable and responsive to students, including providing personal contact info. My kids have some teachers at are unresponsive to emails.

I agree it is sad, however it is also sad that some parents are in denial about the realistic risks to students when teachers and coaches cross lines that don't need to be crossed. It's not paranoia, it's reality. Unfortunately there are a number of people, both men and women, who find ways to have access to minors for nefarious purposes.

Even for the coaches own protection, he/she should include one other adult on every text or email to the child. Period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is sad that we have come to this point in our society. IMO it is very nice that a teacher is doing everything they can to be reachable and responsive to students, including providing personal contact info. My kids have some teachers at are unresponsive to emails.

We have several teachers who don’t respond to emails.

I don’t want any adult texting my child without my knowledge. If the teacher asked permission and included the parents it’s ok but the teacher for us made it clear no parents allowed on the app.

Another teacher did a remind group for the kids and allowed parents on it. That was the appropriate way to go.

[Anonymous]

With my permission, my HS DS gave a teacher his cell number once. A project that was done in class as a team had a final event that took place over the summer. There was one group text sent to confirm the exact time and then a flurry of logistical texts on the day of the event. Nothing after that. It's not something that registered on my radar as dangerous or inappropriate. Maybe I would feel differently if I had a daughter or a young aged child. But for a boy, in HS, with his own phone that I have access to if I want, I think it was fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With my permission, my HS DS gave a teacher his cell number once. A project that was done in class as a team had a final event that took place over the summer. There was one group text sent to confirm the exact time and then a flurry of logistical texts on the day of the event. Nothing after that. It's not something that registered on my radar as dangerous or inappropriate. Maybe I would feel differently if I had a daughter or a young aged child. But for a boy, in HS, with his own phone that I have access to if I want, I think it was fine.

There are very clear rules within school systems and sports that there is no direct communication.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP
These are examples of communication:
"I have a family matter this evening so Coach Tom will be leading practice."

"Practice is canceled due to lightning."

"Please attend this Thursday's practice as we will discuss important team news."

On the messaging end
"I can't attend practice because we'll be out of town"
"OK thanks for letting me know"

"Am I at the wrong field?"
"It's on the other side of the school"

I can't help but agree with the poster who does not see this as grooming. Obviously, casual texting with more details/ lengthy back and forth would be a different matter but this is helpful and has been normal in our experience.

+1
Exactly and parents are allowed to be on the main chat if they want to although I odn't know if any one actually is. Kids do privately message the coach if they can't message practice sometimes.

Y'all are missing the point.

Your kid's coach may not be a groomer. S/he probably isn't! They are probably a great person, most coaches are! But the fact that this is practice is normalized is what allows groomers access to kids without their parents knowing what's going on. Unless safeguards are in place that everyone follows, INCLUDING THE COACHES WHO ARE NOT PEDOPHILES, then children will be harmed. Maybe not your kid. But someone's kid.

Get it?

THANK YOU. EXACTLY. The point is to teach the kids that adults don't need private access to them. All the messages the earlier PP mentions can be done on whatsapp, Remind, TeamSnap, group text w/ parent, whatever. You need the good guys to do things correctly (ie not communicate directly w/ kids w/o parents) so the kids can easier identify bad ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is sad that we have come to this point in our society. IMO it is very nice that a teacher is doing everything they can to be reachable and responsive to students, including providing personal contact info. My kids have some teachers at are unresponsive to emails.

I agree it is sad, however it is also sad that some parents are in denial about the realistic risks to students when teachers and coaches cross lines that don't need to be crossed. It's not paranoia, it's reality. Unfortunately there are a number of people, both men and women, who find ways to have access to minors for nefarious purposes.

Even for the coaches own protection, he/she should include one other adult on every text or email to the child. Period.

+10000

[Anonymous]

Exchanging contact info to set up a group chat? Fine, although apps set up specifically for that (Teamsnap, Slack, etc) work better IMHO. But I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with a group text thread.

Using that contact info to initiate 1:1 conversation? Definitely not ok. Always include a second adult.

By high school, my kids are managing their sports commitments on their own - we as parents aren't cc'd on everything. But my DCs have shown me the messages or app threads, and it's always group communication - head coach, assistant coach, maybe another adult or two, and every player on the team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son’s middle Middle school soccer coach has team Numbers and they have his and are in a group text chat. Some coaches use snap chat or other social media groups to communicate with team. I don’t see anything wrong with it.

SafeSport does not allow this - any communication with a player from a coach MUST include the parent

This must be specific to middle school bc high school is definitely not like this.

SafeSport covers all kids though high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Texting with players one on one is common for coaches (not affiliated with school) in middle school and up.

It might be but it’s against safesport rules and best practices

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son’s middle Middle school soccer coach has team Numbers and they have his and are in a group text chat. Some coaches use snap chat or other social media groups to communicate with team. I don’t see anything wrong with it.

SafeSport does not allow this - any communication with a player from a coach MUST include the parent

This must be specific to middle school bc high school is definitely not like this.

SafeSport covers all kids though high school.

Our hs doesn’t follow safe sport and the coach did a private group and refused parents in. Our private team still sends the emails to the parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Texting with players one on one is common for coaches (not affiliated with school) in middle school and up.

It might be but it’s against safesport rules and best practices

Very inappropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coach, perfectly fine. My middle schooler and my high schooler both have their coaches cell number. How else are they supposed to let them know they have to miss practice or are late and need let into the gym or whatever ?

These comments are ridiculous. Some of you are so paranoid.

Coaches can use apps to communicate with their team.

Kids just don’t check those very often, so then the coaches end up texting everyone to check the group page/app.