ALMOST everyone at this school has some type of social media account. Whether it be a Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram or any other social media websites. So many people have them that even the school has them! Granger High has a Facebook page, Twitter account, Snapchat account, and they even have their own app. As great as it is, having all the information about school events right in front of you on your Twitter feed, is the school taking it too far by monitoring our social media accounts?

Kids are wondering if they follow the school, if that gives the school permission to glance at their personal life. Haven spoken with some students, this is what Joseph Alvarez had to say, “Social media gives the illusion that it is or can be private, but it isn’t anywhere close to being private. Everyone and anyone can see what you are posting. I can see both sides to this issue though, students have free will and are going to post whatever they want, but they should be ready to face the repercussions of their actions. But I also believe that the admin shouldn’t be digging around in our accounts”(Joseph Alvarez,11).

When the topic about the admin running around and looking through our accounts comes up in between students, majority of them get defensive. They believe that they should have the right to privacy and the freedom of speech. While all of that is true, some of the students act as if they had something they wanted to hide. Something that if the admin were to find, the student might end up in Mr. Beck’s office having a long chat. And although most of the times that isn’t the case, it could be. But what people sometimes forget, is that while there is freedom of speech, there are also consequences for speaking those words.

Lorena Sandoval had some words to say about this issue as well, “I can see both sides, if someone went and reported me for harassment then i understand, but if they hired someone to to constantly look at our social media, i would feel like that is an invasion of my privacy”(Lorena Sandoval,12). Would the school be so concerned with what its students are posting on social media to hire someone to look only at our social media accounts?

The answer to that question is, no. According to Ms. Alo, the school is barely keeping tabs on its students to begin with. “When is comes to the media, we try not to follow and search through your profiles. When we do get involved, it is because a community member or someone had reported it and brought it to our attention. We don’t even follow our students back on social media. We follow other schools and other districts. If by some chance we do follow someone, we make sure what they are posting is all appropriate and up to our standards”(Dotty Alo, Admin).

With all of that being said, there really isn’t a problem with the administration getting involved in your social media accounts. When they get reports or suggestions to check something out, then they take notice and try to solve the problem. The admin care about its students and their right to privacy. If there is ever a serious issue though, they will take action and help in the best way possible. But a reminder to be careful with what is said on social media. Everyone can see it, and it is not a private diary.