Is it considered acceptable for educators to be friends with students on social media?

The perspective that it is never acceptable for educators to interact with students on social media emphasizes the importance of maintaining professional boundaries within the teacher-student relationship. This approach is grounded in the need to protect both educators and students from potential misunderstandings or conflicts of interest that can arise from social media interactions. By keeping personal and professional lives separated, educators can foster a safe and focused learning environment, maintaining their role as responsible authority figures.

While some may argue that adjusting privacy settings or allowing interactions under certain conditions, such as the students being of high school age or initiating the request, may mitigate the risks, the inherent power dynamics and potential for inappropriate relationships or misconduct make any form of social media interaction problematic. The recommendation to avoid such friendships altogether supports the broader commitment to professional ethics and student safety in educational contexts.