If you're a teacher who likes segregation . . .

[Mr. Deez]

. . . you better not start talking about it on Facebook. Link. It's pretty hard to get yourself fired from any government job, but this will do it. And make no mistake, this is probably a career-killer.

 

[Crockett]

Words delivered in haste and anger have really come back to bite folks, whether they self-diclose on Facebook or get captured on recording equipment that is pretty much ubiquitous. As uncomfortable as I am hearing some communications, I worry that the PC police have already upped consequences for expression of unpopular ideas to a new level.

Bob Weir is a friend of mine. We seldom agree politically, but I see a lot of wisdom in a recent column he wrote: http://www.yonkerstribune.com/2015/06/weir-only-human-remember-free-speech-fuggetaboutit-by-bob-weir

 

[Seattle Husker]

That's the problem with elder generations use of social media. They tend to treat is like they would a cocktail party among friends. In actuality it's a megaphone on a crowded intersection.

 

[TheWalkingHorn]

I am an elementary teacher, and I can't ever imagine myself saying ANYTHING like that, and I would hope that none of my colleagues would either. She needs to find a new career because if she has these feelings inside her, then I can only imagine what sort of preconceived notions she had about her minority students.

 

[Horns11]

I had a buddy who cut all ties with his much-older parents (he was 25 and they were well into their 60s) because they got on Facebook the day before his wedding and bashed his soon-to-be-wife in surprisingly candid fashion. When asked why they were doing that, they denied it. So someone showed them the thread on their phone and they got all red-faced and wondered aloud why they can't have private conversations online. Yep... "private."

What Husker said... some people see Facebook/Twitter as a venting soapbox but they think no one cares or can read, apparently. And it's typically older people.

 

[Larry T Spider]

The way olds use the internet has convinced me that people are in fact not getting more stupid. Also I don't feel bad for any teacher that gets fired over social media misuse. When I was working on my undergrad degree ten years ago, professors were already warning us about it. At this point it's just a way to weed out people too stupid to teach.

 

[Mr. Deez]

That's the problem with elder generations use of social media. They tend to treat is like they would a cocktail party among friends. In actuality it's a megaphone on a crowded intersection.

I used to advise all clients to shut down their Facebook accounts and at a minimum to never to discuss their injuries or how they got hurt on Facebook and to delete all posts of them acting like drunken buffoons regardless of what their privacy settings are.

As for older people, my mom got on Facebook about two years ago, and I told her never to play anything that she wouldn't want on the front page of the New York Times. She has done reasonably well at showing restraint.

 

[Mr. Deez]

I am an elementary teacher, and I can't ever imagine myself saying ANYTHING like that, and I would hope that none of my colleagues would either. She needs to find a new career because if she has these feelings inside her, then I can only imagine what sort of preconceived notions she had about her minority students.

Frankly, it was the denigration of all blacks that I think warrants her termination. If she had just advocated for segregation in a well-thought out, non-inflammatory manner, I'd oppose her termination. And yes, that can be done even in favor of segregation. (I've even heard a few black academics make the argument in favor of it, because it would let blacks teach other blacks.) Obviously I don't support segregation, but I support government discriminating against people on the basis of their viewpoint even less. However, that's a non-issue here, because she chose to spout off against an entire class of her students on the basis of race, and that justifies firing her.

 

[WorsterMan]

Social media has a lot of pros and obviously some cons however, it is not for everyone.

I had a former co-worker that was fired about 10 days ago due to a recent FB posting. Since I don't use FB, I did not read what she wrote but I heard about it second hand from another co-worker who read it. The woman that was fired was not an older person, she is well educated and I thought smart until this action. Employers do read what employees are posting.

I think I have enough sense and discretion to properly use FB, Twitter and some of the others, but I choose not to. I do LinkedIn for business. Otherwise, I have plenty of Internet access, email and cell phone connectivity to communicate with friends and family. Besides I have HF, I don't have time for other forms of social networking!

 

[Seattle Husker]

I keep Facebook and LinkedIn very separate. One is personal with no work colleagues on my friend list and the other is very career focused. Still, I stay away from any political, religious or controversial topics on either. Rarely do I post on Facebook and comment sporadically. It's primary purpose is to share kids achievements with family and see how the rest of may family and friends are doing.