Two public school teachers have found themselves in hot water at work after posting messages critical of President Barack Obama to their personal Facebook pages, the Daily Caller reports. After last Tuesday’s election, according to ABC affiliate WSOC-TV, South Carolina-based eighth-grade math teacher Sharon Aceta updated her status on Facebook with this sarcastic message: “Congrats Obama. As one of my students sang down the hallway, ‘We get to keep our food stamps’ …which I pay for because they can’t budget their money… and really, neither can you.” A spokesperson for Rawlinson Road Middle School, Aceta’s employer, said that multiple people had contacted the school with complaints…
…Read MorePodcast Series: Innovations in Education
Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.
Judge: Facebook post should cost job of NJ teacher
A New Jersey administrative law judge has ruled that a first-grade teacher who wrote that she was a “warden for future criminals” on Facebook earlier this year should lose her tenured job, the Associated Press reports. The state education commissioner now has 45 days to accept, reject or modify the decision regarding Jennifer O’Brien. The Paterson teacher posted her remark to 333 friends on March 28. But it was forwarded and several parents saw it…
…Read MoreMissouri repeals law restricting teacher-student internet and Facebook interaction
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon signed legislation Friday repealing a contentious law that had limited online chats between teachers and students and caused a judge to warn that it infringed on free-speech rights.
Nixon’s action eliminates a law enacted earlier this year that barred teachers from using websites that allow “exclusive access” with students or former pupils age 18 or younger. The law generated an unexpected backlash, with teachers raising concerns they would be barred from using popular social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter that allow private messages.
A judge temporarily blocked the law shortly before it was to take effect in August, declaring that it “would have a chilling effect” on free-speech rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. Nixon then added the law’s repeal to the agenda for the special session that began in September.…Read More
Teachers to get some of Facebook’s $100 million donation
Newark teachers will get grants to develop innovative classroom programs from the $100 million donated by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to the city’s school district, WestWard Patch reports. Officials with Foundation for Newark’s Future, the philanthropy group that manages the cash, announced a two-year, $600,000 initiative Wednesday that will provide the city’s teachers with up to $10,000 for creative programming…
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