Should Teachers Be Allowed to Hate Blog About Their Students?
Sunday, February 20th, 2011
Should Teachers Be Allowed to Hate Blog About Their Students?
Good has an interesting post about a teacher who posted her opinions about her students on her blog.
Natalie Munroe, a 30-year-old Philadelphia-area high school English teacher took her extremely candid commentary about students to her public blog—and of course a student discovered it. Munroe says she didn’t do anything wrong, and claims her blog entries are free speech, but last week the Central Bucks School District suspended her with pay and officials want to fire her.
My initial reaction is that she’s violated a trust, similar to attorney-client or psychologist-client although not a legal trust, a social trust. I asked my wife Anne who’s a teacher and she agrees that this teacher went over the line by publishing her opinions in a public place, even if she was naive about the fact that her students might someday read those opinions and figure out that she was talking about them.
Another aspect of this story is that many people involved with social media have no clue that publishing on the internet is not like venting at the local bar. Still, most who are clueless about this are young people, an adult, even one who may not be all that tech savvy should know better.
Could anyone explain to me why she still teaches despite this very thinly disguised dislike of her students? She should either change her job or stop posting such offensive remarks on her blog.
Interested in seeing a new and wildly unique special education teacher’s blog? One that’s deeply thoughtful, literate, and downright funny? Then enjoy A Dixie Diary, at www.adixiediary.com
The response from readers all over America has been astonishing. Actually published a few days ago during the midst of the Munroe business, this unique teacher’s journal shows a different look at what happens in the schoolhouse by a rookie LD school teacher who loves his work and his students, but he expresses his thoughts and observations in a hugely different way than Mrs. Munroe. Sure, there are some intense student-teacher moments, even some choice words, too, but mostly it’s world-class hilarious, heartwarming … like reading a good book.
It’s the teacher’s blog we’ve been waiting for. It’s simply mesmerizing.
Teaching it Real,
I’ve read a few of these “journal entries” and though I can see why you’d want to put this in this discussion, it’s nothing like the “Hate Blog” commentary. It’s more of a well deserved plug for this Dixie Diary, which from the little bit I’ve read, is worth passing along. Good luck with this Tad.
Sanford,
Many thanks for your kind words. So many fascinating personalities … so many fascinating moments happen in the classroom … especially mine! … so I started writing the first day of my rookie year, knowing there would be a few things I could share about what it’s like in an LD classroom and school. I admire my kids so much.
Anyhow, visit A Dixie Diary often … enjoy … and thanks for all you do, too.
Tad Jackson
www.adixiediary.com