Saturday, August 28, 2010

Teachers file suit over social media policy | pnj.com | Pensacola News Journal

Teachers file suit over social media policy | pnj.com | Pensacola News Journal

Teachers file suit over social media policy

Teachers union filing suit against Santa Rosa over new policy on social media

CARMEN PAIGE • CPAIGE@PNJ.COM • AUGUST 28, 2010

The union representing Santa Rosa County teachers and support personnel is planning to file an unfair labor practices lawsuit against the School District over what it claims is an overly restrictive new policy on educators' use of e-mail and social media websites, such as Facebook.

The lawsuit will be filed late next week by Florida Education Association Legal Services on behalf of the Santa Rosa Professional Educators and Marie Locklin Bodi, a third-grade teacher at Gulf Breeze Elementary School, said union President Rhonda Chavers.

The new policy outlines how employees should use digital communications at work and when working in their official capacities from home. It covers e-mail, Facebook and similar websites, Twitter, blogs,