MySpace? What’s MySpace? Most schools still lack policies for social networking sites, survey says

Despite daily headlines demonstrating the potential risks - as well as growing parental concern -- most local school districts still have no policy governing in-school or after-hours use of social networking Web sites such as MySpace. That's according to survey results being released this morning by the National School Boards Association at its annual conference in Dallas.

The e-mail survey of about 1,200 school technology specialists, teachers, administrators and school board members shows that 50.4 percent of their districts have no such policy; 34.9 percent do have one; and, oddly enough considering the group polled, 14.7 percent of respondents don't know one way or the other. This marks the first time the NSBA has included questions about social networking sites in its annual survey.

About a third of those polled reported that social networking sites have been "disruptive to (their) school's learning environment," half said such was not the case, and 16 percent didn't know.

Of those whose districts reported problems, two-thirds of respondents cited the posting of inappropriate and personally identifiable content as having been disruptive. About four in 10 cited "cyberbullying" and "causing too much time off task." And one in four flagged their students for "creating false sites for administrators/teachers," an undertaking one supposes is at least tacitly condoned by the school districts without applicable policies.

Among those who have policies and accepted the poll's invitation to describe them, about half said they are blocking access to the social networking sites, while the balance report varying styles of teacher oversight and parental involvement. A handful said they were unaware of the details of their district's policy.

"Students are not permitted to access these sites while in the district," writes one respondent. "We cannot and do not police what happens at home, although these activities have created confrontations at school."

The leader of the organization hosting the conference is concerned that not enough is being done to address the issue, particularly as pertains to social networking activities outside of school.

"It is important to keep in mind that just blocking access to social Web sites at school is not the end of the story," says Anne Bryant, NSBA executive director, in a press release. "Most of the misuse of these sites takes place at home, but still affects the classroom. We have to teach our students about the safe and proper use of social Web sites."

Finally, one respondent reported that his district did have an applicable policy, albeit one with a twist: "Not for students, but for teachers."

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