Teacher's Facebook post outrages parents worried about student privacy

(1/3)Several parents at a Pflugerville ISD school were worried after a middle school teacher posted photos of two students publicly on her Facebook page.

(2/3)Several parents at a Pflugerville school were worried after a middle school teacher posted photos of two students publicly on her Facebook page.

(3/3)

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) - It is a sign of the times. A teacher trying to do the right thing ends up making a mistake.

On Friday, KXAN received several emails to ReportIt@kxan.com from parents worried because a teacher posted photos of two students publicly on her Facebook page.

The students at Westview Middle School included pictures of themselves in an extra credit question.

GOING IN-DEPTH // AISD Social Media Policy

We reached out to Austin ISD and Round Rock ISD. Both school districts have their own social media and photo policies.

AISD also told us, 'There are times when a teacher will post a photo or communicate with students via social media and it's perfectly ok just as long as the reason has to do with educational purposes.' The district also says professional pages are highly encouraged.

Pflugerville ISD said the teacher was trying to praise her students for correct answers, but later removed the post and regretted the error in her judgment.

While this issue may be settled, it shows the difficult balance for teachers who want to embrace technology while keeping their students safe.

Some parents may figure what's the fuss, but others believe these days they want to sign off on anything like this.

'She's got no business publishing kids names or faces in the public,' said Coy Fancher, the grandparent of a Westview student. 'If you show them on TV you cover their faces. Why? For the same reason. You have no business, they're minors, they're children.'

'It's very upsetting...it's a privacy,' said Nicole Baker, a Westview parent. 'You should get permission from the parents before you take that action, when you (put a photo of) a student on your Facebook page.'

And what do the students think?

One, with mom's permission to speak said, 'It would bother me. Some kids want their own privacy and some don't,' said Hunter Rydbon. 'And the kids that want privacy are on there, maybe.'

Pflugerville ISD's policy on social media reads in part...'As role models for the district's students, employees are responsible for their public conduct even when they are not acting as district employees.'

'Employees will be held to the same professional standards in their public use of electronic media as they are for any other public conduct.'