Should Professors and Students be friends?

In defense of social media

I am a professional Social Worker and one of the things that has been clearly placed in our revised code of ethics is that social workers should not be friends with clients on social media and that those of us who teach and supervise should not be friends with those we teach and supervise on social media.

I arrived on Facebook in Summer 2009, and being on Facebook has been one of the best things I’ve done in the past 10 years. I’ve reconnected with high school and college friends, I’ve built new relationships, I’ve gotten to know people well that I only knew in passing.  Facebook has allowed me to express myself and proofread my expressions before posting.  Facebook has made me a more confident writer and given me feedback-feedback that has supported me, energized me, disappointed me, and led me to rethink what I am thinking and writing.

All and all, Facebook has been a very positive experience for me. My Facebook friends or Face-babies as I call them, have provided me with quotes, memes, prayers, sayings, advice, wisdom, news, New York Times and Atlantic pieces and more.  Facebook has led me to articles and links that I have used in classes.  Facebook nudged me to go deeper in reading and I have accepted those offers to go deeper.

Maybe I am unique because I have an excellent group of Face-babies?

So. about students as friends on Facebook? Last week I had another realization. I want people to read my posts on Facebook and I want them to read my blog. When I speak in class or post in my course shells, I want students to listen and read what I’ve written.

Since I teach graduate students, most all of my students “know the rules” that they should not be friends with their Professors on Facebook, and I’ve had some students/alums to send me a friend request days after their graduation. And, usually I quickly accept.  Because what I put on Facebook I would say anyway. I am at a point in my life where I can be honest and that is part of my privilege.

Yes, I have had the workshops/training on social media/technology and professionalism, and one thing I learned from these trainings was emphasized to me earlier this month. Sometimes I learn too much about others on Facebook. Maybe they are at the beach or spending time with their children when I feel that they need to be working on a report with me?  I want others to have their privacy. As a professional, I should only get information about colleagues and my student colleagues in a professional setting and professional fashion.  That is when “Unfollowing” comes in handy.

And, of course, I don’t look students and clients up on Facebook. No way!  I have better things to do than stalk and sneak.

I am glad my students and colleagues know about boundaries too. This helps me because I can be an over-poster, and my tendency to over-post, over-share led me to get this blog.

Welcome to my blog!  Feel free to comment. I hope this becomes a two way or three way or four way street.