Teacher Sues After Being Fired Over Facebook
Published: November 10, 2009
Updated: November 10, 2009
WINDER, Ga. (AP) - A former high school teacher is suing a north Georgia school district, alleging she was forced to resign over photos and expletives on her Facebook page.
Ashley Payne claims the Barrow County school district violated state labor law because she was never told she was entitled to a hearing. Her attorney, Richard Storrs, says the 24-year-old former Apalachee High School teacher was “not made aware of her rights” and should be granted the hearing.
Barrow County school Superintendent Ron Saunders declined comment on the lawsuit because it is a personnel issue.
Payne resigned Aug. 27 after her principal questioned her about her Facebook page, which included photos of her holding wine and beer and an expletive. She had worked at the school for two years.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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Reader Reactions
This is the second school in a Georgia school which has gotten jammed over Facebook. I assume the teacher did not mix business and pleasure. However this goes to show that freedom and liberty are on the endangered species list. Will the symbol of the skull and crossbones have to put on the Facebook site? For some it is poison.
Even w/o the advent of social networking many of these rules are as old as time:
1. No such things as “friends” at work. They are your co-workers and there will always be at least one ready to stab you in the back.
1a. Do not allow your social networking to overlap “friends” with “co-workers.“
1b. Pick one networking option for each (or use multiple identities) to keep these circles separate.
2. Keep your profiles private/“friends only.“ Employers will Google you to find a way to fire you if they really want to (but can’t come up with a performance excuse to do so).
3. Never trust your boss.
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