Essay Sample on Social Media Implications on Professional and Moral Behavior

Introduction

Social media is an integral part of the current digital generation. Most information that in the old days would be private is nowadays made public by people tending to share them on various social networks. The Internet does not forget and does not forgive, and therefore, some information that a teacher may share on a social platform may obscure the normal boundaries between a teacher and a student as well as among colleagues (Johnson, 2012). The use of social media can be either a great resource for professionals when rightfully handled or a source of horrific experience when misused. It therefore matters a lot what a teacher writes and shares on social networks as it can lead to various professional and moral implications when it reveals an underlying character.

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It is clear from Mr. Y's scenario of his social network page that he is interested in young girls. Normally, a teacher is constantly in interaction with his students, and in this case teenage girls. These girls are young and in the vulnerable state and a teacher with interest to young girls can easily take advantage of their vulnerability weaknesses. This situation places Mr. Y to be regarded as a potential risk to his female students. It can be a huge concern when cases of sexual harassments of minors are reported within the school. The post can also be an indication of violation of teacher/professional codes and policies on sexual harassments of students (Johnson, 2012). The concern needs to be immediately addressed whether no offense is committed yet because the students are likely to be at risk due to Mr. Y's implied statement.

Mr. Y's scenario can cost him his job as well as loss of teacher certification. Also, Y is at risk of being mentioned as a suspect of any occurrence of sexual harassment of students within the school. Also, the entire school community would taint Y's name following his own written confession in the social network. Other than the consequences and risks posed on Y, the statement, 'the younger the better' is also a potential threat to the young girls schooling with the help of Mr. Y. Lastly, the colleagues and students who view Y's status can gang up and seek his suspension with the reason based on inappropriate conduct.

Focusing on the six pillars of character according to "Business Ethics: The Six Pillars of Character | BFS Capital," (n.d.), Mr. Y's social network account raises questions regarding his trustworthiness as a professional teacher. Normally, this pillar requires a teacher to show characters like honesty, reliability, reputation, and loyalty, which clearly does not match the publicly shared status of Mr. Y ("Business Ethics: The Six Pillars of Character | BFS Capital," n.d.). The statement clearly taints his image as a teacher and the society may not trust him in taking care of the young female students.

Several steps may be of importance as practical measures to avoid the issues raised due to the use of social media. First, there is a need for teachers to collaborate and come up with social networking policies. Second, professionals need to explore both the risks and benefits (good practices) of social networking. Finally, the district of concern can orient teachers on codes of ethics and outline the penalties of inappropriate behaviors and harassment of minors ("Dos and Don'ts for Using Social Media as a Teacher," 2018).

References

Business Ethics: The Six Pillars of Character | BFS Capital. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.bfscapital.com/business-ethics-six-pillars-character/

Dos and Don'ts for Using Social Media as a Teacher. (2018, February 16). Retrieved from https://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/leaders-link/educational-social-media-use/

Johnson, L. (2012). Guidelines for dealing with educator sexual misconduct. A report from the National Association of Independent Schools (17 pp.). Washington: NAIS.