Should cheerleading coaches and other teachers use Facebook to communicate with their students? This is the question in Missouri, where a new law requires teachers and others who work with students to purge their friends lists on Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. The law was a response to an investigation which showed online misconduct by dozens of teachers in the state, but many are protesting the broad limitations. Although each district is allowed to set individual guidelines, in general teachers are not allowed to friend their students, or to reach out to them directly online through private messages. Alana Maddock, a nurse and cheerleader coach from East Middle School in Joplin, MO has been an especially vocal opponent of the law. She says she used Facebook to connect with students after the devastating tornado in late May. Full coverage of this new law can be found here.
 
For better or worse, cheer coaches need to manage their online presence very carefully in today's climate. Many will choose to avoid social networks altogether, or take steps to keep their profiles more private -- both Twitter and Facebook offer options which make profiles harder to find by searching, or prevent their content from being viewed without permission. Google+, one of the newest social networks, offers even greater control over which circles of friends and followers receive a particular message.
 
Whether more states and districts begin to adopt policies like these, it is clear that coaches and teachers should think carefully before reaching out to their students in any unofficial medium. If they do choose to do so, it is important to keep a careful record of every message so that conduct can't be called into question later.
 
Photo Credit: West McGowan