Here’s another interesting story of how one “upset” teacher publicly blogged her opinions about her students and sparked some national media attention:
When high school English teacher Natalie Munroe had a bad day at school, she didn’t just vent to her husband: she took it to her blog.
Titled “Where are we going, and why are we in this handbasket?” and all but unknown to the world until earlier this month, Munroe’s website served as a chronicle of her “utterly loathsome” students.
In one post, she advises students to go get jobs with the trash company. In another, she calls them “rude, disengaged, lazy whiners.” In yet another she doesn’t mince words, proclaiming, “There’s no other way to say this: I hate your kid.”
Now Munroe, who has been temporarily suspended from her position, finds herself in the middle of a swirling online debate — not over what she did, but over what she said about the sometimes harsh realities of the 21st century classroom.
For me I’m always surprised to think that people who find themselves in this type of situation “never” thought about their audience and how some of the people they talk about might actually read it.
Of course, ultimately it all boiled down to the issue of whether the teacher is more responsible for the bad education or the system itself. Not a new conversation by any means, but the genesis was a bit different (blog).
Ben says
I just had this issue on my blog the other day. On Feb 14th I wrote about how I really felt about V Day. I used my inlaws as an ‘opposite’ extreme as opposed to my ‘unloving’ family. I didn’t fully take into account that my mother in law actually reads my blog every once n a while. I found out through a comment on facebook how she really felt about my post.
Learning to filter your blog by who your potential audience could be is a discipline that needs practice. Communication by any medium needs restraint and wisdom.
Trevor says
I like it that she was open about her issues at school. If teens think they are old enough to make there own decisions about life, relationships, sex, using substances, acting out in class, etc. then they are old enough to be talked about by someone else publicly. For dang sure they “vent” about her on FB when she does something they do not like.
The general public really does not realize the true state of public education. The lack of parenting has reeked havoc on school behavior. Then they tie the hands of the teachers and tell them to shut up.
I am glad this has been made know.
Ben says
I’m couldn’t disagree more. We cannot allow our teachers to stoop to the level of the children they are teaching.
It’s this mentality that you can say whatever, whenever, and however that leads to such issues as they are seeing in the classrooms. Teachers, flight attendants, customer service reps, and bloggers must refrain themselves from negative hurtful information with the intent of “venting”. There are reviews and criticism but they are communicated differently than venting.
I do agree that teachers need more freedom to discipline in the classroom but reacting in this manner is not satisfying any problems.
Trevor says
Of course you have to use wisdom when talking publicly.
The purpose is not to satisfy any problem. It is to make it known.
April says
You know, there are things I would love to vent about on my blog, but because it is such a public domain and because the people involved would most likely read, or at least stumble upon, my blog someday, I will not go there. You have to be really careful what you put out on the internet. And whatever you say or post, can never be taken back.