SN posting photos of her "special" students on FB and instagram
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Anonymous
Report it to the principal and tell him/her that the pictures need to come down. That behavior has to stop. If the pictures didn't come down, my lawyer would be sending a letter re. invasion of privacy to the school and a cease and desist letter to Facebook and Instagram. If she loses her job, too bad. She was taught better in college. |
Anonymous
What people think they know from observation is one thing. What a school employee discloses on the web is another thing. Disclosure of this kind of information by a school employee is illegal under FERPA and it's a tort under many state's privacy laws. It needs to stop. If it were my kid, it would stop. |
Anonymous
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OP - I would start with the teacher because while it is no excuse, it is just a fact of life of just how much this generation is tied to social media, AND she may well be a great teacher of students. I would not be so intent on "Screw the New Teacher." However, I would let her know very firmly that you have been made aware that she has pictures up of the children in her class on both FB and IG and does she know that it is against FERPA to do so in any way. While it is your assumption that she forgot because teachers are usually reminded about privacy rules at their orientation, it is also your expectation that all photos will be taken down by the end of the day. If not, then you will need to proceed to the next level to inform the principal. **You might also suggest that as a teacher, she might want to make her FB page closed to public inquiry because parents do look. If you do wish to remain anonymous and not do over kill, then I would send a brief note to the principal alerting him/her that it seems new teachers may not have gotten the word about posting photos of their students on social media because XX does have images of her students up on both. You might include a couple of still shots. I would add that it is your hope that he will speak with this teacher about taking them down AND remind all the staff about FERPA and privacy laws. In this approach you can be specific in your request and yet also general, too, and it does not seem that you are going after just one teacher. My daughter who has twins in first grade did go online to see what might be out their on the teachers her girls would have and sure enough one of the recent grads had photos of the world to see of her partying and even doing shots!! It certainly does not help in terms of a professional image NOR in terms of the judgment a brand new teacher might have in working with young children. She simly called the assistant principal and told her what she had seen and advised that she ought to clean up her FB page or at least make it private. The AP said the teachers had been told this, but would speak to her directly and bring it up to all again. I just do not see the point in the "gotcha mentality" of some posters, especially of a brand, new young teacher who may have such positive potential. |
Anonymous
You'll just be punishing your dc if you go down that route. Her replacement will be forewarned to have as little as possible with your dc. |
Anonymous
| I would be upset! I would take screen shots and go to the principal. It sounds like she does know what she is doing (look at me and I help special kids I am so wonderful, blah blah . .. ). Some people know my kid has needs and some don't. It should not be made public. I would be very upset. |
Anonymous
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Again, you have to judge how you deal with a situation. From the post, this is a brand new, mostly "dumb" young teacher who did something that is quite correctable and within a day of the request. It is also "the tone" in which a parent reacts and decides "to address" a situation. Cut the young teacher off at the knees is certainly one way to go and to bring a most positive reaction not only in dealing with you - but in coloring her perception of how parents in general will react - and just builds up a needless negative outlook in a new teacher. And, of course, there are the groupies who will "call the lawyer" at the first thing that ticks them off and that makes teaching such a wonderful experience for all today. I am the Mom of a young adult daughter, who chose to have her in a self-contained class all the way along in education, and I can tell you that there were several instances in which looking out for the class as well as my daughter, I was personally confronted and even intimidated - so what - I never, ever once would have gone the lawyer route. I never ever went after anybody personally, but would just write up the information that was needed to correct a wrong with CC up the chain of command or make the appropriate phone call. " Why did Ms. XX's class in third grade not go on the field trip with the other third grade classes which was very appropriate for the SC class/" This is different then "gunning" for Ms.XX. Or why was a class not going to be a part of an assembly - posed in the correct way ahead of time had them included appropriately. Life is about choosing your battles with the long view of the outcome you hope for your child. And it about deciding how you as a parent(s) want to be viewed by the educators working with your child - in a partnership mode where there can be differences or even dust- ps - or in a continuous attack dog mode? As I have told my daughter, you have to understand that school staff - teachers, aides and administrators - are human and how they are treated/regarded by a parent can well impact decisions regarding a child whether SN or typical in many many ways, and don't you think you can become the topic of conversation in the faculty lounge? How well some subtle like recognition awards or selection for special learning opportunities, others more direct like acting on a request for a placement,a strong or lukewarm recommendation for a gifted or magnet program or not etc. Just because a child has an IEP does not not give you a trump card to be full throttle on every time you think something was done incorrectly. |
Anonymous
| LOL privacy? You must be an older parent, this isn't going to be an issue with the next generation of parents, The millennials know that everything is public now a days. |
Anonymous
I work at a school and it's my job to ensure that all students have signed parental permission agreements before posting anything on social media, using photos for publicity purposes, or sharing them with secondary sources (e.g. on funding partners' websites). That also applies to video clips and even mentioning a child's name in association with the school. If we don't protect student privacy, my school could get sued. I would certainly lose my job and for good reason. That teacher has no idea why her behavior is in violation, but she needs to be educated and not by OP. Her principal must be informed because this is a lawsuit in the making. Parents withhold permission for lots of reasons related to child safety and privacy (e.g. witness protection, custody battles, stalking, bullying, etc.). And special needs kids' privacy laws are well documented. They have sealed folders for a reason. This needs to be addressed at the highest level so the rest of the staff can be educated too. |
Anonymous
I think negotiating for your child with teachers and school admins is one of the most difficult parts of having a child with SNs. What do you push for, what do you let slide. How do you get what you want in a 'nice' way. Its tough, man. |
Anonymous
| My initial thought was to give this new, young teacher a break and approach her directly, maybe alert the principal as well but without identifying her, just so s/he can remind staff about policies. But when I read about the tone of her posts and what a little shit she seems to be....screw her. Her attitude towards kids with SN bothers me more than her posting the pics. Send the screenshots to the principal and who cares if she gets fired. |
Anonymous
There are privacy laws. Quite strict ones in many states. Millennials who expect to keep their jobs had better figure it out. If they don't understand the privacy laws as they apply to their professions, they will end up fired and/or on the pointy end of a law suit. Again, you have to separate what individuals do or say and what employees of government agencies or hospitals or law firms or the like do and say. |
Anonymous
Fight that battle when you come to it and quit being a coward. |
Anonymous
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Do you want her fired? Are you okay with that as a possible outcome?
If so, go the principal route since this may be the outcome. With all the complaints about horrible specials needs teachers (and teachers in general) I would hesitate going after someone's job that really seems invested and aspirational in their young career. It seems some posters think the tone was derogatory, I personally am not convinced. Maybe it's from the general "look at me" vibe of all the millenial posts on Facebook that I am immune to it, who knows. |
Anonymous
+1 It's not a battle but the teacher needs to know that posting pics of her students on FB is unacceptable and would be unacceptable for NT students not just SN and stating that the pics are of SN students brings it to a whole another level of unacceptable. Report her to the principal. The school obviously needs to "teach" their teachers about their internet policy. I cannot think of a business where this type of posting will be considered appropriate or professional. She may lose her job but her judgement is obviously poor. Not sure if you want someone like this as your child's SN teacher. We filed a state complaint about our school not following the IEP and the SN teacher involved eventually resigned and left the school. Made our relationship with the school a lot better actually. Turns out many people who worked at the school were happy she left. |
Anonymous
^^^ This is the sort of person who would Instagram someone's medical records. |