Digital Directions reports that the Virginia State Board of Education is considering limiting communication between teachers and students. At the forefront of the proposed guidelines is the issue of text messages between teachers and students. It is the goal of the VA BoE to ebb sexual misconduct in the classroom. If the policy passes, a final vote will be held on February 17, school districts still have the choice to fully adopt the new limitations, edit the plan, or not adopt them at all. This ruling is therefore more symbolic than revolutionary, but it raises several questions regarding teacher-student interactions.
On one hand, I can understand the VA BoE's concern that electronic communication between teachers and students avails an additional opportunity for deviant behavior. I also understand the value of quality relationships between teachers and students. Teachers of extra-curricular activities frequently set up mass-text lists to disseminate information to club members. Assignments can be delivered through electronic messaging when school is closed due to inclement weather or over long holiday breaks.
In an age when teenagers use cellphones, Facebook, Twitter, and other instantaneous communication services are used ad nauseam, schools continue to attempt to stifle technological advancement. Sure, electronic messaging is a tool that can be used maliciously, but predators will find a path to their goal regardless of the tools at their disposal. This is just another example of a missed opportunity to teach students about digital citizenship and responsibility.
