Why blogging? & How can we control it?
A few teachers have stopped me in the hall and asked “why the push for blogs?” I say, why not? What have blogs done to earn such a bad reputation thus far? Sure, a few employees (OK, maybe 36) have been fired over the content found within their blogs. But why? Probably because they were not following the rules and regulations set-forth by an AUP (Acceptable Use Policy). These employees were posting confidential information, gripes about co-workers, and innapproriate photographs. Sure, all of these offenses warrant the given punishment. It would be no different than a student posting answers to an exam (confidential information), bad-mouthing a teacher or other students (gripes about a co-worker), or posting crude images (innapropriate photographs). If done, students would face immediate consequences and likely a pretty harsh punishment. So why is it a surprise that these employees were fired? Just as we need to make sure our students understand the severity of publishing for the world to see, so do corporate employees. How do we accomplish this? Through the use of an AUP. If a student were to post innapropriate pictures on his or her blog, how would we be able to appropriately punish if the offense was never deemed an official violation? Through the use of an AUP.
What would a blogging AUP do for Williamson?
It would list all accepetable and unacceptable uses of blogs in the district. It would also lay a framework for infractions and their respective punishments. The WCS Classroom Blog Policy would require both parents and students to sign before being allowed to actually blog within the district.
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