Social Media Guidance for Educators

Protect Your Online Presence

• Use strong privacy settings, but remember nothing online is truly private or anonymous.
• Assume anything you post could become public and permanent.
• Remember there is no such thing as a truly anonymous post.

Know Your Responsibilities

• Follow district policies at all times.
• Remember your mandatory reporter obligations.
• Off-duty conduct can still result in discipline.

Avoid Risky Behavior

• Don’t friend students or parents on personal accounts.
• Don’t post student photos without permission.
• Avoid posting criticism, complaints, or angry responses about work.
• Never post offensive, profane, sexual, or questionable content.
• Don’t post anything you wouldn’t want on the front page of the local paper.

When in doubt, pause before posting. Professional judgment matters.