State law restricts student-teacher elec.communications

Hello All,

My name is Meris Stansbury and I am a reporter with eSchool News--an
ed-tech publication based in Bethesda, MD. We're doing a story on a new
Louisiana state law (HB 570, Act 14) that requires all LA educators to
document and report all communication received and sent to students via
fax, email, cell, txt, or online. Basically, if the communication
happens and it's not through school technology, but a personal device or
web site, it must be reported to the school and the school board will
review it.

For example, if a football coach wants to txt one of his players saying
that practice has been moved back, the coach must report that txt. Also,
if a student uses his/her cell phone to txt the coach back, that txt
must also be reported.

School boards must define the methods of electronic communication that
should be reported; as well as additional policies concerning timing of
reports, punishments for not complying, and ways in which employees will
be informed of these procedures; by November 15. For non-compliance,
teachers can be fired and could even serve jail time (depending on the
severity).

Some teachers are saying this makes all teachers look guilty and that it
might limit online resources for students. For example, if a teacher
tells students to visit her blog for links to resources, this has to be
documented and explained. However, school leaders are saying this is
just a safety procedure and nothing more.

We'd like to get your perspective on this law:

- Does your school/district/state have a similar practice in place?
- Do you think this law is just? Is it reasonable to assume that all
teachers should report all electronic communication?
- Could this law create any complications for schools? For example,
could resources be limited? Could student-teacher interaction be
hindered; meaning could teachers feel restricted and fearful and
therefore not want to devote extra time to individual student learning?

Please respond to my personal email address: mstan...@eschoolnews.com
<mailto:mstan...@eschoolnews.com> with your opinions and comments.
Please also include your title. We'd love to hear what you have to say!
Our deadline is this Friday (9th).

Meris Stansbury

Associate Editor

eSCHOOL NEWS

7920 Norfolk Avenue #900

Bethesda, MD 20814

301-913-0115, ext. 109

mstan...@eschoolnews.com

---
Edtech Archives, posting guidelines and other information are at:
http://www.h-net.msu.edu/~edweb
Please include your name, email address, and school or professional
affiliation in each posting.
To unsubscribe send the following command to: LIST...@H-NET.MSU.EDU
SIGNOFF EDTECH

I wonder how that would sync with the First Amendment. It would seem an
easy argument for a lawyer to call this documentation requirement a form of
oppression/suppression of speech.

Regards,
.
Randy

--
“When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor
have no food, they call me a Communist.” -- Brazilian Bishop Dom Helder
Camara.