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In This Section
Researcher says she found text on Shroud of Turin
Ohio native takes second place on 'Project Runway'
White House at odds with bishops over abortion
End of an era: Oprah ending show after 25 years
Kin want right to sue after man assumed dead
Sen. Kerry's daughter arrested in LA on DUI
Raw Video: Cop Crashes Into Car Killing 2 Teens
Hundreds of rotting deer in yard cause big stink (with video)
Most Read Stories
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
NFL star Chris Spielman's wife loses cancer battle
Poor machine maintenance blamed for fire at Akron business
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
Coventry man killed in crash at I-77 ramp
College student mistaken for deer, shot to death
Man allegedly paid teens to spit in his face
Indians add 7 players to 40-man roster
Body with gunshot wounds found in Canton Township creek
Man charged with raping, killing N.C. girl, 5
Cleveland balks at new LeBron James mural
Investigators say nude video of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews shot in Ohio
Retired firefighter who broke color barrier among those being honored
Letters to the editor - Nov. 20
Union president says Akron saved only $21,000 with firefighter layoffs
Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
The proposed new LeBron mural doesn't do it for me
Akron Zips:
Two blowouts, one night
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Hey, somebody's gotta stick up for the Browns
Kent State Sports:
Singletary update
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs at Indiana Pacers – Here’s to LBJ and Free Throws
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Bowling season starts today
All Da King's Men:
Headed For Disaster
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Muslim McCarthyism & Death Prayers
Akron Law Café:
Federal Judge Declares DOMA Unconstitutional
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Norma asks if Barkitecture is still at Stan Hywet.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Colloquium at University of Akron
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
By Associated Press
POSTED: 09:56 a.m. EST, Nov 12, 2007
COLUMBUS: Teachers who make inappropriate postings on Web sites risk losing their licenses or facing other punishment, a state official in charge of disciplining educators says.
While it's unclear how many Ohio teachers have online profiles at social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook, the issue poses risks for teachers, said James Miller, director of the Office of Professional Conduct at the Ohio Department of Education.
A search of MySpace finds three profiles of people who say they are teachers — one says she's an animal in bed, another has taken drugs and likes to party, and a third says his mood is ''dirty,'' The Columbus Dispatch reported Saturday.
The profiles could be the work of malicious pranksters, but the three examples appear legitimate, with all types of personal and professional information, including full resumes, the Dispatch said.
If those three postings are from teachers, they're inappropriate, Miller said. Even worse, he said, ''It does sound like something that could be conduct unbecoming.''
That's a broadly defined violation of educator behavior that can result in license revocations, suspensions and written reprimands. Teachers need to review what they're sharing online, Miller said.
''It's their right to have it up. But I'd make sure it's appropriate for my students to look at,'' he said.
The Ohio Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, sent teachers a memo last month discouraging them from using MySpace and Facebook.
''While this advice might seem extreme, the dangers of participating in these two sites outweigh the benefits,'' the memo said. ''Because of the high standards placed on school employees and the risk of job and career loss, the OEA recommends avoiding even the appearance of impropriety.''
The union also worries that students will create ''impostor'' sites, pose as adults and engage in conversations with teachers, or use online communication to make allegations later against educators.
''(There are a) lot of potential problems of false allegations, false pages, postings that have absolutely nothing to do with the intention of the teachers,'' said Rachelle Johnson, the union's legal services director.
Anything on those sites can be used as evidence in disciplinary hearings by districts and the state Education Department, the union warns.
William Eiseman, a former teacher at Delaware Hayes High School in central Ohio, had a MySpace page, and many of his students communicated with Eiseman on his blog, which contained violent and sexual references, The Dispatch reported.
A month after the school district admonished him for his online activities, he was arrested for — and later convicted of — having sex with a student, the newspaper said. He remains in prison, serving a two-year sentence.
COLUMBUS: Teachers who make inappropriate postings on Web sites risk losing their licenses or facing other punishment, a state official in charge of disciplining educators says.
While it's unclear how many Ohio teachers have online profiles at social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook, the issue poses risks for teachers, said James Miller, director of the Office of Professional Conduct at the Ohio Department of Education.
A search of MySpace finds three profiles of people who say they are teachers — one says she's an animal in bed, another has taken drugs and likes to party, and a third says his mood is ''dirty,'' The Columbus Dispatch reported Saturday.
The profiles could be the work of malicious pranksters, but the three examples appear legitimate, with all types of personal and professional information, including full resumes, the Dispatch said.
If those three postings are from teachers, they're inappropriate, Miller said. Even worse, he said, ''It does sound like something that could be conduct unbecoming.''
That's a broadly defined violation of educator behavior that can result in license revocations, suspensions and written reprimands. Teachers need to review what they're sharing online, Miller said.
''It's their right to have it up. But I'd make sure it's appropriate for my students to look at,'' he said.
The Ohio Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, sent teachers a memo last month discouraging them from using MySpace and Facebook.
''While this advice might seem extreme, the dangers of participating in these two sites outweigh the benefits,'' the memo said. ''Because of the high standards placed on school employees and the risk of job and career loss, the OEA recommends avoiding even the appearance of impropriety.''
The union also worries that students will create ''impostor'' sites, pose as adults and engage in conversations with teachers, or use online communication to make allegations later against educators.
''(There are a) lot of potential problems of false allegations, false pages, postings that have absolutely nothing to do with the intention of the teachers,'' said Rachelle Johnson, the union's legal services director.
Anything on those sites can be used as evidence in disciplinary hearings by districts and the state Education Department, the union warns.
William Eiseman, a former teacher at Delaware Hayes High School in central Ohio, had a MySpace page, and many of his students communicated with Eiseman on his blog, which contained violent and sexual references, The Dispatch reported.
A month after the school district admonished him for his online activities, he was arrested for — and later convicted of — having sex with a student, the newspaper said. He remains in prison, serving a two-year sentence.
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