HOLCOMB, Mo. — Holcomb School District superintendent Jeff Bullock and other staff members are looking into creating a policy that would prohibit teachers from having contact with students outside the school, in an effort to make sure that no teacher can be falsely accused of having anything more than a professional relationship with the students.
At Friday's executive session of the Holcomb School Board, Bullock presented the idea.
"I can't really discuss the issue right now, but I can say that nothing was done" at the meeting, Bullock said.
The policy will "protect our staff as well as our students," Bullock said.
Bullock plans to have the policy ready by the next school board meeting.
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I emailed the superintendent of the Holcomb schools. In his reply he noted that the Daily Dunklin News that reported the story and the one the Southeast Missourian picked up, didn't get it quite accurate. They are discussing a policy for electronic communication with a student after school, not on the schools' computers. Whether it be email, IM'g, texting, chat room, etc. In a small town district if I live in the district, it would be impossible for me to not have contact with students after school. This was not what the policy is about, its about electronic commmunication with a student after school while on their own home computer or some other computer besides the schools. Yes, as a retired teacher, I can see that an electronic communication after school on my home computer poses all sorts of challenges. My response to the superintendent was it still sounded like a policy that would be difficult to monitor, let alone enforce.
Do they mean no social contact AT ALL or just on social networks (i.e. Facebook, Bebo, MySpace...)
Babe - that's in Holcomb, MO. Not 100% sure, but I don't think that's Nell Holcomb school. Thanks goodness.
In a small community, this is impossible... I used to be friends with my teacher's kids; guess it's a good thing I didn't live in present-day Holcomb.
My grandson had a sleepover at his best friend's home this weekend. His friend is the son of a vice principle. I suppose that if they were in the Nell Holcomb district, the vice principle would have had to vacate their own home to avoid contact with my grandson.
I surely hope a reporter is at the next meeting.
Stupid is; stupid does.
I grew up best friends with a girl who lived two doors down from me. By the time we were in high school her father was the vice principle. Also, the high school principle lived directly next door to us and was friends with my parents. My social studies teacher was also my basketball coach. When you grow up in a small town, interaction with teachers outside of school can not be avoided. What a silly idea!
OK, I understand the school board is trying to "protect" the teachers, or maybe it is the students, but how far is any employer allowed to dictate what a person does in the time they are not being paid as an employee. As I type this I realize teachers are salaried workers, but it is very disconcerting at how the school board feels it is appropriate to tell a teacher how to live their life.
I get that employers can test you for drug use, which could be off the clock but show up in the test, but does this interaction issue fall under the same category?
The mother of one of my best friends was the Dean of Students. I guess Patrick would have been forced to only have out-of-town friends...
I'm just glad I don't have to go to todays' schools---I wouldn't last one full day!
Geez, my elementary teachers were living next door to me. And we even SPOKE to each other, in OR out of school.
When I was in high school, between the shop teacher, the superintendent, and our "official" janitor, there wasn't a hunting/fishing story or---heaven forbid!---a back-and-forth trading of an old sawed-back shotgun!(Once right out of the supers' own OFFICE! AFTER school-hours though, yes!)
And I STILL barely got "C's"! So much for favors, huh?
Yes, it was a small rural school. Yes, it was well over 40-years ago. And, do I MISS school?
Not on your life!!!
But I DO miss my more "innocent" days, when I didn't have to be afraid of being friends with my educators...!
This is ridiculous. I trust teachers to know what is "appropriate or inappropriate" interaction with students. How would you avoid "social interaction" if you grew up in the same town and were friends of the families of students? Who will define "social contact? If something has happened to bring about this concern, deal with the individuals involved rather than trying the old standby "shotgun" approach in which everyone's actions are restricted in the hope this will be a cure all.
Hydrangea was obviously being sarcastic. As a teacher in a relatively small town I am wondering how the board is proposing to enforce this rule. I live in the town in which I teach and regularly run into student at the store and town events. Perhaps the board means to prohibit social contact with students outside of the classroom and school related events. I wonder though why the school board would want teachers who would socialize with their students (like at a kegger) anyway. The staff in this case should known better and if they don't, shouldn't be in the profession.
Jack, you missed the sarcasm!
A restraining order for teachers? I loved hydrangea's tongue-in-cheek comment. And god forbid if a teacher is social friends with a parent of one the students.
hydrangea: Your comment is insulting to teachers everywhere.
Yes, Hydrangea he obviously hasn't thought this through. Of course, in a small town, maybe most of his teachers don't live in the district, but I bet the elementary teachers do. As you stated, who will teach the Sunday school classes, be Boy Scout/Girl Scout leaders and what about tutoring? And in a small town, how is a teacher going to avoid students, living next door or on the same street?
LOL.
I guess teaching your own child would require an additional home?
I would not be able to work for this district. Holcomb board of education... try having some common sense.
What a great idea! Teachers make the worst Girl/Boy Scout leaders, Sunday School teachers, Church Choir Directors, Coaches, Babysitters, Tutors. Who would ever want a teacher to be alone with their child? That would just be insane!