Politics & Government

Teachers Have Questions about 'Facebook Law'

Missouri Senate Bill 41, the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act, requires school districts to create a policy banning teachers from using the Internet to communicate with students.

Educators, parents and students want to know more about Missouri ‘Facebook Law’ that prevents teachers and students from keeping in contact using internet-based technology.

The law, named the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act after a junior high school student who was sexually assaulted by an instructor, goes into effect on Aug. 28. 

The law is meant to protect juveniles from sexual predators, said The American Bar Association Journal, the professional publication for attorneys. 

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Missouri’s law prohibits teachers from using a non-work computer system to have an exclusive communication with a current or former students, the ABAJournal said.

Internet websites such as Facebook and Google documents, according to Missouri news site KSDK.com, allow people to keep in contact, discuss ideas and share documents. 

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Teachers can use the sites to tutor students, answer homework questions and keep in contact years after the graduation, stated a Foxnews.com website article about the .

The new law seems to go to far, stated a Stltoday.com article, because it can prevent teachers from helping students instead of only protecting children from predators.

The Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA) filed a lawsuit Friday to stop the law sponsored by Missouri State Senator Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, reported a .

The law was meant to force school districts to show the actions taken when dealing with teachers accused of sexual misconduct.

For years, Cunningham, a former Ladue school board member, has bemoaned a practice she's described as "passing the trash," as teachers accused of misconduct would float from one school district to another, the article stated.

 

Town and Country-Manchester Patch Editor Gabrielle Biondo, Creve CoeurPatch Editor Gregg Palmero and Ladue-Frontenac Patch Editor James Baer contributed to this article.


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