Pop Quiz: Students and Social Media

Recently I received a friend request from a former student on Facebook.  This was actually the second friend request that I received from this former student.  The first time he tried to friend me was right after he finished my class.  I denied that request and sent a message back saying that I did not friend students while they are still in school but would friend him when he graduated and turned 18.  We have had a few messages back and forth over the years and just last week he graduated from High School.  I sent him a congratulatory message and he sent back a reminder that I said I would friend him when he graduated.

I know there are teachers who accept friend requests from students who are currently in their class, teachers who wait until a student is no longer in their class, teachers who wait a bit longer like me and teachers who would never friend a former student ever. I do not feel that it is appropriate to accept a friend request from a former student until they become an adult, and there is no chance of a transfer causing me to teach them again.  This is why I wait.

So today’s pop quiz question is this:  Why do you or don’t you accept friend requests from students?  If you do what is the criteria you use to say yes?

The Pop Quiz is a question posed to you, the Scholars of Doubt. Look for it on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the afternoon (ET).

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