Does anyone add their childs' teacher on Facebook?

[tigercub50]

I am friends with a lovely TA from a class my DD used to be in but not sure about adding teachers. Also her teacher this year is young & male so guessing I have probably answered my own question lol. Just wanted to start a debate about Facebook generally. It can be such a sensitive thing & I have inadvertently offended people before

It would be against most school policies for Teachers and parents to be friends on social media.

My children are in nursery and preschool. We have added them (if they initiated the request) but it's been after they moved on to the next class. I know other parents in my son's 4 year old class that are "friends" with the teacher (because I'm FB friends with them so I them tagged in posts). I don't think it's a big deal now, but maybe when they're older - idk.

Completely unprofessional - and usually against school policy too.

Oh, no way. A teacher who taught me in high school frequently sends me requests on Facebook. I find it odd. I didn't even like her that much in high school. I had to see her a little bit outside of school and she gave me a lift home one night. She made a bitchy remark about a pupil we passed in the street being thick and I was very shocked and instantly disliked her. Everyone else thought she was sweet. She was quite young so I'd hope she wouldn't do something like that now. The more awkward thing is that her best friend is the mom of my son's friend, so I hear lots of updates on her life, as though we are friends. I just say 'oh right' a lot.

My friend was a primary school teacher. When she left, one of the kids parents somehow managed to get one of the teaching assistants to pass on her phone number, then set up a video call between her child and my friend! Now that was odd.

Once you've left somewhere I think its different.
E.g. Ive had some linkedin requests from former students who are now in their 20s. Got chatting because they were after some advice on something subject/job rrlated and they sent me a friend request on facebook. I accepted. It's many years later. I'd find it odd if any parent tried to add me but that's unlikely given that I'm secondary.

And like other posters have said parents/students on social media is a massive no no!
When i went into teaching someone I knew through sport was a student at the school I worked in. They were removed from facebook (but could still text me for sport stuff). Its just not worth the risk.

My sister is a teacher, she has a fake name on Facebook.

I'm a Primary teacher, and had a few of the TAs from school as FB friends. However, a couple of them added parents/ex pupils, so I unfriended them.

Social media is a minefield and I would even say professionally dangerous for those of us in regulated professions (I.e teachers/ solicitors etc).

My regulator has disciplined a number of people for social media posts done outside work but which are deemed to bring disrepute in the profession.

I'm on FB with my own name but am always mindful of being uncontroversial. Never post/email something you would be embarrassed to have read out in court is a good mantra.

No. I looked up a couple of teachers on fb though. (Nosey.) I figure that anything they set as public they are happy for people to see.