Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Missouri bill restricts Facebook between teachers and students

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon recently signed the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act (Missouri Senate Bill 54), which seeks to shield minor students from sexual misconduct by a teacher.

The bill, which will take effect August 28, 2011, has been generating buzz for restricting contact between teachers and students (current or former, so long as they are minors) in social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

It prohibits teachers from establishing, maintaining or using a work-related website unless it is available to school administrators and the child's legal custodian, physical custodian, or legal guardian. They also can't have a non work-related website that allows exclusive access with a current or former student (See Sec. 162.069 for actual language of the law).

-- Ixara Maroto, Seventh Post

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