Just recently two pretty significant events have happened with educators and their poor choices in the digital space. Both of these incidents come from large school districts in the heart of St. Louis, MO, and unfortunately, leave a rather bad taste in the mouths of citizen tax payers who are footing the bill for 'professionals' of high moral and ethical character.
Obviously with anything, a few bad apples won't and shouldn't ruin the bunch, but we know how that goes.
To my point... we focus so much on trying to teach our students about digital citizenship.
We add curricula and activities to hopefully prepare our kids for the 'unfiltered' and 'unprotected' world that exists beyond the walls of a school.
We add discipline procedures and initiate codes of conduct for students both in the academic setting and the athletic setting.
We expect our students to demonstrate good judgement and to be positive members of society who treat others with respect and dignity.
I am in complete agreement with all that we do... however unfortunately, I think we are missing a rather large group and segment of the population.
I think it's time we do more for the adults. Those who we put in charge of teaching our students. Those who we expect and demand are above reproach at all times.
Let's just get one thing straight... it's time to stop thinking it's just kids who need to learn about digital citizenship, and recognize some of our worst culprits come from our very own ranks of those who are charged with teaching and modeling appropriate behavior for kids.
Stepping off of my soap box now...