Is Facebook a distraction? Local school officials think so

One out of every 12 people in the world has a Facebook account.

This Time magazine statistic sums up the popularity of the social networking site. Facebook is a relatively new development, however, many lives — especially young people’s — revolve around its activities.

In 2004, Facebook was just being introduced to students who attended a college or university. Now, the social network has expanded, giving anyone with computer access the ability to join. The site has recently announced it’s 550 millionth member, and is growing by the day.

Safeteens.com recently reported results from a survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project surrounding the issue of Facebook usage. The survey found that 73 percent of teenagers who have Internet access use social-networking sites. Updating personal information or photos to their Facebook profile has become a regular activity for teens, as is using these services to catch up on what their peers are doing.

The social networking site has become a widespread topic of discussion for elementary and high school administrators — mainly whether a line should be drawn on usage. Local school administrators don’t agree with the idea that the site offers a positive educational aspect. They feel that implementing Facebook into a curriculum with the distraction level the site holds isn’t beneficial. Teenagers have been distracted since the dawn of time. Throw in an incredibly popular social tool, and it’s a recipe for one of the biggest distractions teachers and school administrators have ever dealt with.

School administrators

Falls High School Principal Tim Everson sees no use for Facebook and explained the site is blocked on the school’s network. He said allowing access to the site would open doors to easy harassment and by banning it right away, he hoped to ward off problems before they began.

“We don’t allow students, teachers or staff members to access Facebook while at school,” Everson, who doesn’t have his own Facebook account, warned. “People say things over the Internet that they wouldn’t say to someone’s face, we don’t want to encourage that kind of behavior.”

David Skwarok, technology director for the International Falls School District, uses a filtering tool to block students from accessing certain sites, including social networks. Skwarok described that the device connects to the school’s network and blocks certain websites. He explained that websites are categorized to prevent any prohibited or inappropriate pages from being accessed.

Nonetheless, despite the district’s strict policy and concerted efforts to eliminate Facebook from school grounds, the repercussions of using the site have found their way through the school’s doors.

“It still shows up through bullying and harassment,” Everson said. “We have had issues that have started on the Internet, whether it be through Facebook or chatting, and they have been brought into the school.”

Everson remembers an event when a student used a cell phone to videotape a situation involving another student being harassed and then uploaded the video to their Facebook page.

“Students have also set up Facebook groups to poke fun at someone else and it has gotten out of hand,” Everson said. “We just don’t want or need this level of bullying here.”

Skwarok said when events like that happen, as administrators of the school, people like himself, Everson, or anyone else in an authority position needs to take disciplinary action to ensure the safety of the students.

“I’ve had students in my office with their parents and we’ve pulled up profiles and deleted them,” Everson said. “The stuff kids post online and say to others is unbelievable.”

Everson added that he has received numerous articles and e-mails from various sources spotlighting Facebook as a positive tool for schools. He disagrees.

“We feel that opening the site up is not a step we will take now or ever,” he said.

Skwarok agrees with Everson’s views, yet admits he understands how Facebook can be so addicting.

“I understand the lure, the appeal,” he explained. “The communication level is unbelievable. Young people have a need to socialize and Facebook is a great tool for that. However, educationally, we haven’t found a place for it.”

Skwarok continued, “FHS administrators feel the negative aspects of allowing Facebook in the school far outweighs any positive gain.”

Littlefork-Big Falls Superintendent Fred Seybert agreed that “there is no place for Facebook in a public school setting.”

“At this point, the minimal benefits of social networking sites, such as Facebook, at school, are vastly outweighed by the potential dangerous issues presented by lack of security, privacy, cyber bullying, as well as the potential professional and legal issues,” he said. “Safety, security and digital citizenship are important to our school, and we will continue to address the benefits as well as the dangers that this type of networking has for students, parents, staff and community.”

Seybert added that if L-BF allowed Facebook access, which it doesn’t, he envisioned parents contacting school officials with possible bullying tips and issues. In essence, this could create a full-time job for someone, or in the very least, put undue stress on staff to monitor Facebook.

“Other school districts have already faced lawsuits over bullying, and this is just a can of worms that districts, in my opinion, would be wise to stay away from,” he said.

Similar issues surrounding Facebook are also occurring at the elementary level. Elementary students, already ripe with self-esteem, acceptance and bullying issues, is another one of the more problematic age groups with Facebook. Kids get made fun of for having it, not having it and everything in between.

Teachers, parents

and students

Falls Elementary sixth grade teacher Emilie Veith feels the site is causing a distraction among students.

“It takes away from kids focusing on what kids should be focusing on,” she said.

Veith is only in her first year teaching, but she’s had a Facebook page for six years (it was called Collegebook when she started). She’s had to adapt quickly to the professional side of Facebook and the distraction it can create in school.

“I get asked numerous times a day if I have (Facebook), and if I will add them,” she said of students requesting her friendship on the site. “I get asked if I get it on my computer because I’m a teacher.”

Veith used to add students as friends, but doesn’t anymore. Other teachers have implemented self-restrictions, like an “after high school” rule.

“Not that I was doing it to gain popularity points,” Veith said about adding students, “I just didn’t want to be the mean teacher.”

She’s also received complaints from parents, which made the first-year teacher ramp up her security settings to avoid future distractions from students. She’s not the first and won’t be the last teacher to limit Facebook profile access to students. Nationwide, teachers, school administrators and anyone who works with kids routinely have the most-limited Facebook profiles.

She’s realized the effect Facebook has on students, however, and is more aware of the distraction.

“My professionalism is more important than being liked,” she said.

Kayla Gilbert is a fourth-grade teacher at Falls Elementary and a mother of 11-year-old Emma and 10-year-old Gracie.

“I just say no,” said Gilbert, who’s had a Facebook account herself for roughly two years.

She admits some fourth graders have Facebook in her class, but she doesn’t see it at all as an educational tool.

“How are you going to put it out there and be safe the whole time?” she asked, before admitting there are technological advances in education that are on the horizon, like Podcasts and personalized web pages.

“I just don’t think it has any part in school right now,” Gilbert added about Facebook. “So far it just seems like a social thing.”

Jill Herzig, the Bronco girls swimming and diving coach, has a senior daughter, Paige, sophomore son, Beau, and sixth-grade daughter, Claire, and can’t envision a use for Facebook in schools.

“I don’t see Facebook as an educational benefit for a school setting,” she said. “There’s no research. Too soon to tell.”

In the Herzig family, son Beau and father Tom could care less about the social network, and Paige only checks her Facebook page “once or twice a week,” but there have been problems at the junior high level.

“I don’t like what I see at her age,” Jill said about Claire, who recently got her first Facebook page. “... She loves it, but I think it’s a waste of time when she could be out there playing. It’s fun, but sometimes it’s just too much.”

Jill regulates Claire’s use, but admits there is “a divide,” between the Herzig’s adult group of friends. The divide is primarily about the importance of the social network — in simple terms: most kids love it, many parents could care less about it — but the effects of the divide creates a big generation gap.

“Absolutely,” Jill said when asked if junior high kids should be monitored on Facebook. “Most of the parents I know, their child had to make them their friend so they can monitor.”

Paige isn’t bothered by the ban at the high school, but she’s heard complaints from fellow students.

“The students who do complain the most are the students who post the most stuff,” she said.

Prove that Facebook can provide a positive educational experience, and Everson, Skwarok, Veith, Gilbert and Herzig are interested in listening to how that would work. But they’re all skeptics now.

Veith has witnessed an attempt by a local teacher to use Facebook as a communication tool for her students, like warning them about due dates on assignments, tests, etc. But that opens another can of worms with the ever-changing educational system.

“The day can be so hectic and so many kids that age can forget,” Veith said. “... Sometimes it feels like it would just be better to send out a text to my students.”

Facebook is part of a growing technology that could make its way into educational systems.

“Times are changing,” Veith said.