SA discusses social media use

With the use of more technology in the classroom comes the question of when it is appropriate to use social media when it involves students.
South Adams School Board discussed the issue at its work session Tuesday evening, with the board being divided on its appropriateness.
The question came after a teacher asked to post a photo to Facebook of a parent who is in the military reuniting with a younger student after being deployed overseas. The teacher said sharing the photo would be a way to connect the school to the community.
Currently, there are policies against taking photos without a student’s consent, but not any rules regarding social media.
Board member Landon Patterson, who brought up the issue, sees it as a developing tool that, if the school put a control element in place, could be a good way to keep the community involved in the schools’ daily events.
“I kind of personally would like to see how they use it at other schools,” said Patterson.
Others on the board were hesitant to allow social media use in the classrooms, wary of who and what all could end up posted.
“While it’s a great idea … we don’t know that everybody would be good (with posts),” said Julie Mansfield. “Facebook is neither planned nor focused. … I’m really concerned with using it for K through 12.”
Board members Ray Gill, Arlene Amstutz, John Mann, John Buckingham, Patterson and Mansfield, agreed that before any social media policy would be put in place, there would be a need to look at what consent would be needed from students and parents, who or what would be in control of the posts and whether it could work with the school website.
Mansfield suggested if the board did eventually approve the use of social media, teachers should be put through a professional development course to learn the correct and appropriate way to post.
The first step the school board will take is to talk to technology director Myra Moore and contact other school districts to ask about their social media policies.
“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel,” said Mann. “We just need to see what other people are doing.”
In other business the school board, absent Amy Orr:
•Reviewed a financial report of extracurricular accounts. The board discussed having the year-end numbers presented annually in August instead of every other year when Indiana State Board of Accounts audits the schools.
•Approved new school board policies on first reading. The policies included clarifying the parameters of a school board meeting, redefining school materials to include new technology and expanding the definition of what can be used as a service animal in coordination with Indiana state code.

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