Missouri Makes "Friending" Students Illegal
The Missouri legislature has passed, and the governor of that state has signed, a law making it illegal for teachers to connect with students on social media websites. The law, titled the "Amy Hestir Student Protection Act," requires that "Teachers cannot establish, maintain, or use a work-related website unless it is available to school administrators and the child's legal custodian, physical custodian, or legal guardian. Teachers also cannot have a nonwork-related website that allows exclusive access with a current or former student." Section 162.069.
Illinois does not currently have any such law, but it will be interesting to see the response from regulators, interest groups, and potentially the courts.