Gov’t plans to regulate social media use among teachers
ANKARA
Education Minister Yusuf Tekin has announced that the government is proposing stricter regulations on teachers' use of social media in an effort to curb the exploitation of students for online fame and unprofessional behavior.
Tekin stated that a draft law will be submitted to parliament next week that strengthens penalties for violence against teachers while also introducing disciplinary measures for educators' online behavior.
A growing trend of "phenomenon teachers" has raised concerns. These teachers film themselves with students in class to gain social media followers, often without parental consent. The draft law proposes penalties for teachers who share student images or videos for personal gain.
"A reprimand penalty will be imposed for sharing information about students' personal lives, audio or video footage, outside of procedures outlined in relevant legislation," the draft law (ÖMK) states. Reprimands will remain on teachers' records for five years.
Experts criticize the practice as a form of abuse, with students potentially feeling pressured to participate or having their privacy violated.
The proposed regulations extend beyond social media. Teachers using slang in front of students could face salary deductions under the draft. Other grounds for salary cuts include unprofessional conduct, student evaluation bias and activities contradicting the approved curriculum.
According to the ÖMK, some of the violations that can be punished with salary cuts have been announced. Violations such as words, behaviors, attitudes and actions that set a negative example for students in a way that is incompatible with the teaching profession, being biased in the evaluation of students' achievements, and activities and practices contrary to the goals and objectives set by the curriculum approved by the ministry during the education process may result in this penalty being imposed.
