Facebook and theatre students?

Question

I'm a 20 year old college student majoring in theatre education. I'm currently working in the education department of a local professional theatre, and I absolutely love it. I teach theatre classes to kids of all ages, from 8-18.

Lately, though, I've been running into a phenomenon I wasn't quite prepared for - my older high school students friending me on Facebook. They know I'm a still a student, and I've been open about my college theatrical education, so it was easy for them to find me. However, I'm unsure of how open to remain with my profile.

I don't have any super racy pictures of myself tagged on my profile - none of me drinking, smoking, or dancing around half-dressed at a party. Nothing like that. However, I do have a number of pictures tagged from theatrical productions I've been in at school and at various professional performign jobs I've held. Most are pretty tame, but as an example, I was in a production of "Cabaret" last semester, which required me to wear a blonde wig, whorish makeup, a sparkly bra, and thigh-highs and garter belts.

Since it was for a character, I am not ashamed of these pictures. It's not like I just decided to go out to a wild party dressed like this. I want to be open with my students about my acting experience, but is it inappropriate to allow them to see these pictures on Facebook? Should I take the pictures down, even though it was a part of my education and my performance history? I'd love some insight on this.

I am cross-posting this to the Theatre section as well.

Answer 1

Are you unable to make your profile private?  There is just so much controversy in that specific area now-a-days....I personally agree with the poster above.



If you created a super kid friendly profile that would be fine, but you made a personal profile about yourself that showcases things about your life and accomplishments.  To me I wouldn't give students access to that because it is private and not really intended for the group that have apparently found you.

Plus, you have enough concern about it to post a question in the forums on how you should go about this...if you feel uneasy or uncertain, go with your gut feeling and be safe.  That will keep you at ease and not give you that thought in the back of your mind of 'what if?'...

Answer 2

I would be careful about crossing the line between teacher and friend.  I personally wouldn't add them as friends.  Unfortunately in this day and age, we must constantly protect ourselves and our students.  Adding them as friends on Facebook, allows them to see personal information about you and vice versa.  If you saw a picture of one of the high schoolers drinking, what would you do?  It could put you in a terrible position.  If you add students of the opposite s*x, it could be seen as showing interest in them.  If any of the students ask you why you won't add them, I would simply say something about keeping work separate for home.  

Answer 3

here's my answer

tell them

i appreciate you wanting me to add you as a friend, and although i consider you as such, I believe that it would be unprofessional.

something like that....

it's great that they like you so much

but you shouldn't mix your career with personal life..

u never know what might happen

Answer 4

I can tell you from an experience a teacher in our county had: anything you post on your facebook, marked 'private' or not, is public information. Period. If you have anything questionable, it can be used against you if some bizarre incident with one of those students  were to happen. Your facebook is no longer yours now, it is your classrooms' once you let students into it. Suggestion: have one facebook for your students and then start a new one for yourself with a different username and email, that you can be more open with your friends and family. Once you are 'in charge' of a group of children (and they are still children) everything becomes fair game and if parents get involved, it can get nasty. I had a situation myself as a first year teacher 10 years ago, I learned a hard lesson about being "friends" with students, I was just trying to be their buddy instead of their teacher. I wanted them to like me so I would joke around with them about stuff in 'their' world, and eventually it came back to haunt me when I actually had to stand up and be the teacher in a particular incident involving cheating.

Facebook just takes this kind of thing to cyberworld, but it's no different. I strongly caution you against it, hon'. Having been through it myself and knowing another teacher who recently has been through it, I would recommend you get another personal page for your own enjoyment and have one for your students :)