social media policy

[NCASAUmp]

I still think it's wise to at least remind people to be somewhat careful with what they post publicly online. Anything can be blown out of proportion, and with our credibility on the line, it's a good personal policy to have. As such, there have been instances in which I've had to bite my tongue every now and then, holding back my actual opinion on various matters. Things, for better or worse, can easily get pushed up the chain of command within local and national associations.

I don't think this umpire was out of line. In fact, nowhere near the line. I always wish teams the best of luck. Big effin' deal.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

I still think it's wise to at least remind people to be somewhat careful with what they post publicly online. Anything can be blown out of proportion,...

Like these?

Teacher-Suspended-for-Blog-Posts-About-Students

Florida Teacher Suspended for Anti-Gay Marriage Posts on Personal Facebook Page

[TwoBits]

Please, no more social media policies!

As a Missouri teacher, social media, or more specifically, Facebook, has been the number one topic of the young school year.

(If you don't know what I'm talking about, read this link
Missouri law bans some teacher-student contact on Facebook, other sites – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs

I don't think a policy is necessary, but officials (and EVERYONE for that matter) needs to be educated that somethings shouldn't be posted on Facebook, and as an official, talking about a game you have or are going to officiate with a participant should not be posted! You are simply opening yourself up to trouble.

I admit that I have coaches on my friends list that I occasionally officiate for. Sometimes we confirm dates over Facebook, however I will not comment about the game.

I can't say I'm perfect as I have commited one faux pas and was called on it: I made a status update during halftime of a basketball game I was reffing on my cell phone. When I checked Facebook later that night, I had several comments along the lines of, "Hey, aren't you reffing the game I'm watching right now?"

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by TwoBits

Please, no more social media policies!

As a Missouri teacher, social media, or more specifically, Facebook, has been the number one topic of the young school year.

(If you don't know what I'm talking about, read this link
Missouri law bans some teacher-student contact on Facebook, other sites – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs

I don't think a policy is necessary, but officials (and EVERYONE for that matter) needs to be educated that somethings shouldn't be posted on Facebook, and as an official, talking about a game you have or are going to officiate with a participant should not be posted! You are simply opening yourself up to trouble.

I admit that I have coaches on my friends list that I occasionally officiate for. Sometimes we confirm dates over Facebook, however I will not comment about the game.

I can't say I'm perfect as I have commited one faux pas and was called on it: I made a status update during halftime of a basketball game I was reffing on my cell phone. When I checked Facebook later that night, I had several comments along the lines of, "Hey, aren't you reffing the game I'm watching right now?"

That is certainly another of those "feel good" laws some knee jerk reactionary thought sounded like a good idea, and that can be easily circumnavigated by standard email, text, or the good old fashioned phone call.

I have often wondered, as a public educator myself, when we became so concerned with students and teachers being able to talk. We never seemed to, historically anyway, be concerned when our kids stayed after school for tutoring or made phone calls to teachers. Why do they think that social media is any more of a bugaboo?

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

...Why do they think that social media is any more of a bugaboo?

Perhaps because it is a more or less completely public conversation, including many people who would not have been a party to the other conversations.

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Perhaps because it is a more or less completely public conversation, including many people who would not have been a party to the other conversations.

Weren't phone calls pretty "public" once upon a time, in the days of party lines???

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

Weren't phone calls pretty "public" once upon a time, in the days of party lines???

Yep. My mom confessed that she and her sister used to listen in on neighbors' calls when she was a little girl...

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

That is certainly another of those "feel good" laws some knee jerk reactionary thought sounded like a good idea, and that can be easily circumnavigated by standard email, text, or the good old fashioned phone call.

I have often wondered, as a public educator myself, when we became so concerned with students and teachers being able to talk. We never seemed to, historically anyway, be concerned when our kids stayed after school for tutoring or made phone calls to teachers. Why do they think that social media is any more of a bugaboo?

Because we don't know what to teach our kids anymore these days.

We ask them to be respectful, but teach them to not trust authorities like teachers, principals and policemen.

We teach them to be afraid of strangers, but it's okay to let that TSA man touch you inside your pants in the interests of "national security."

We sterilize their world with Lysol and hand gels, but feed them crap with more preservatives than Lenin's body.

We tell them we want them to be good, hard workers and to dream big, but there are some parents out there who are actively working to abolish homework.

We want every kid to be doctors, lawyers, etc., but we tell them that their incorrect and mediocre schoolwork is "good enough."

We want every kid to be a winner, so we no longer keep score in an attempt to prevent kids from being "losers." And don't fool yourself, the kids are keeping score. We're teaching them to add. Sort of.

We teach them to learn about every other culture and religion in the world, but that one Christmas tree in front of a town hall is somehow going to be the ruin of the whole town (and I'm an atheist, by the way).

We no longer spank our children when they misbehave, and instead tell 2-year olds to sit in a corner for 5 minutes to "think about their actions."

We say we want our kids to be strong, but in reality, we teach them to be cowards.

When I grew up, you listened to your elders. You respected your neighbors and ran to their house if you were in trouble. You said "yes, sir" or "yes ma'am" to a policeman/policewoman, and if my parents got a phone call home from the teacher, guess what. I got a spanking.

I'm thankful for the way I was raised. I respect my bosses, I respect others around me, and it's done me a world of good.

We're raising a generation of effing sissies.

(I wanted to use another word, but I respect the language rules here)

[NCASAUmp]

Wow... Did I just nuke the conversation?

[Rachel]

Loved your post Dave.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

Because we don't know what to teach our kids anymore these days.

I don't think that is true. IMO, it isn't that the parents don't know, it is that many don't want to. Just like getting them to wear face masks on batting helmets or on the field. As long as they can dump responsibility on someone else and maintain the "I'm your friend" facade.

We tell them we want them to be good, hard workers and to dream big, but there are some parents out there who are actively working to abolish homework.

We want every kid to be doctors, lawyers, etc., but we tell them that their incorrect and mediocre schoolwork is "good enough."

Even at the college level and that is depressing.

We want every kid to be a winner, so we no longer keep score in an attempt to prevent kids from being "losers." And don't fool yourself, the kids are keeping score. We're teaching them to add. Sort of.

And how do they handle failure or disappointment? Sometimes I have to wonder if that may not have an effect on youth and young adults who give up and turn to suicide as an alternative.

We teach them to learn about every other culture and religion in the world, but that one Christmas tree in front of a town hall is somehow going to be the ruin of the whole town (and I'm an atheist, by the way).

Here is that "perception" word again. The word "church" doesn't appear in the constitution and the word "religion" only appears once as it pertains to the government not establishing one and insuring the freedom to express one's belief.

We no longer spank our children when they misbehave, and instead tell 2-year olds to sit in a corner for 5 minutes to "think about their actions."

We say we want our kids to be strong, but in reality, we teach them to be cowards.

You are really working hard to get on my good side, aren't you

When I grew up, you listened to your elders. You respected your neighbors and ran to their house if you were in trouble. You said "yes, sir" or "yes ma'am" to a policeman/policewoman, and if my parents got a phone call home from the teacher, guess what. I got a spanking.

I'm thankful for the way I was raised. I respect my bosses, I respect others around me, and it's done me a world of good.

We're raising a generation of effing sissies.

(I wanted to use another word, but I respect the language rules here)

And it starts at the big building in DC and I'm not talking about the one across from Lafayette Square.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

I don't think that is true. IMO, it isn't that the parents don't know, it is that many don't want to. Just like getting them to wear face masks on batting helmets or on the field. As long as they can dump responsibility on someone else and maintain the "I'm your friend" facade.

Ugh... Tell me about it. Don't get me wrong, I have a good relationship with my mother. However, she was a mother first and a friend second. If I got out of line, she made sure I knew it.

And I don't want to armchair quarterback parents too much, but when I see certain styles of parenting that trouble me as a former psych major, I have to speak up. Some kids are downright rotten. They expect everything to be handed to them, they never hear the word "no," and they are downright disrespectful towards adults. I used to work in a public school district, and seeing these kids drove me nuts. I had to quit.

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Even at the college level and that is depressing.

And when I worked at a local, unnamed university that belongs to the ACC, I saw the same thing. Kids don't know how to spell. Kids don't know college-level math.

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

And how do they handle failure or disappointment? Sometimes I have to wonder if that may not have an effect on youth and young adults who give up and turn to suicide as an alternative.

I don't know if I'd go that far (having had 3 friends or acquaintances who have committed suicide), but it does affect how resilient a person becomes later in life.

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Here is that "perception" word again. The word "church" doesn't appear in the constitution and the word "religion" only appears once as it pertains to the government not establishing one and insuring the freedom to express one's belief.

As an atheist, I couldn't care less about a town wanting to put up a Christmas tree. Doesn't bother me in the least. It's a nice time of year, and is a good reminder to call your mother and be nice to your neighbor. What's so damn harmful about that?

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

You are really working hard to get on my good side, aren't you

If that was my intent, I would've ranted against background checks. Thought about it...

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

And it starts at the big building in DC and I'm not talking about the one across from Lafayette Square.

Oprah moved to DC?

[outathm]

When I grew up, you listened to your elders. You respected your neighbors and ran to their house if you were in trouble. You said "yes, sir" or "yes ma'am" to a policeman/policewoman, and if my parents got a phone call home from the teacher, guess what. I got a spanking.

Earlier tonight I was telling my wife a story about a neighbor of mine that worked the LLWS, I kept referring to him as "Mr. ___ ". I realized that I did not actually know his first name. He was an adult and I addressed him as "Mr."

I do not remember the last time I heard that outside of a classroom, and even there it is getting rare.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by outathm

When I grew up, you listened to your elders. You respected your neighbors and ran to their house if you were in trouble. You said "yes, sir" or "yes ma'am" to a policeman/policewoman, and if my parents got a phone call home from the teacher, guess what. I got a spanking.

Earlier tonight I was telling my wife a story about a neighbor of mine that worked the LLWS, I kept referring to him as "Mr. ___ ". I realized that I did not actually know his first name. He was an adult and I addressed him as "Mr."

I do not remember the last time I heard that outside of a classroom, and even there it is getting rare.

The South has still maintained some semblance of respect for elders by referring to people as Mister or Miss + first name (ie., Mr. Dave or Miss Laura). I wish more kids were taught that way...

[MD Longhorn]

Kind of funny, really, that we're sitting here on the Official Forum ... a social media site ... discussing whether it's right or wrong to post about the game, players, teams on a social media site like Facebook. Ironically, I've been told (especially when I did football in Dallas) that posting on the Official Forum is frowned upon by the higher ups. Guess they didn't want us newbies learning anything or comparing situations.