Social Networking and Me

After attempting to find myself via Google and Pipl, I discovered that I am an enigma. It is not that there is no information out there about me, but rather that references to me are vastly overshadowed by the former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy. After browsing through TWENTY pages of Google hits, I only found one hit related to me: my linked-in profile. On the other hand, when I attempted to search the handles I had used growing up; I did find my profile on a corporate website that I subsequently removed.
The site that may have been unbecoming to me as a teacher was the one that I changed after I found based upon searching for my handle. It was a personal profile on the t-shirt company Threadless (www.threadless.com ). I found it rather unbecoming because in the about me section I complained about the city that I went to college in and how I was ready to be done so I could “get away” it. It didn’t say anything bad, but just portrayed me in a way that I wouldn’t necessarily want to be viewed. Further, I was concerned that some of the t-shirt designs portray content that is unprofessional so I ultimately removed my membership from the site.
I absolutely think that teachers should be held to community standards in their personal lives. They are an example to their students and are responsible for imparting good character on children. A teacher known for being a “party girl” does not emulate the traits that most parents want promoted to their children. A teacher’s speech is a further reflection of their character and if it is unbecoming of a role model, it is certainly inappropriate.
The most interesting fact that I read about in the social networking article was that some districts strongly discourage educators from even having facebook pages. I use mine so frequently to keep up with my friends from high school and college and I cannot imagine not having one. At the same time I certainly agree with the caveat that districts add that if teachers do have them, they should not be friends with their students through the social networking tools. Being “internet friends” with a student blurs the distinction between appropriate student/teacher relationships too much,
To protect myself and my job I will continue to seek out the information about me on the internet. I have already made sure that any picture that could in any way be misconstrued to seem inappropriate has been removed. I don’t want to be committed through association even though my record is clear and my actions moral.