The battle against social media in education rages on this week
as the Ontario College of Teachers, the regulatory board for all
public teachers in Ontario, Canada, advises its 230,000 members
not to accept Facebook friend requests from students. The
Canadian province’s teacher association has moved much further
than the Virginia Department of Education, which has so far been
unable to pass a policy discouraging Facebook friendships
between teachers and students. The state board would have set an
example for the rest of the U.S. had a January 13 vote approved
social media suggestions in a report called “Guidelines for the
Prevention of Sexual Misconduct and Abuse in Virginia Public
Schools.” Instead, Canada has set a precedent that just might
become the model for schools across North America. The Ontario
College of Teachers’ website includes a copy of an eight-page
“Professional Advisory on the Use of Electronic Communication
and Social Media,” outlining appropriate conduct for electronic
messages, complete w