With social media growing larger on a daily basis, is the line between friend and teacher diminishing? Maybe they are your basketball coach, or maybe they are friends with your mom. But if there is no relation to you other than the fact that they are your teacher, is it acceptable to follow each other on social media?  

“Teachers shouldn’t be able to follow us on social media because it’s weird,” Catherine Keleher, sophomore, said. 

Most people feel this way initially. Questions such as, “Why would I want my math teacher to see how I spend my weekends?”, or “Do I really want them to see who I’m dating?” come to mind. Teachers interact with their students via Twitter in order to promote their success with regards to sports and academics at school, but there are those who like to have a deeper connection with their students than what is maybe considered appropriate. Students and teachers both may fall under the gray area of following each other, for no certain reason. 

“I think if you have a good relationship with a teacher, it is okay for them to follow you,” Ethan Underwood, senior, said. 

If you would consider yourself on a friendly level with your teacher, there is less suspicion about hitting the “follow” button on your Instagram account. 

“Sometimes students do not make the best choices of what they put online, and I don’t want to see that. In my eyes you are all sweet little angels, and I don’t want to think any differently,” Tabitha Roper, AP Literature teacher, said. 

According to the Cherokee County policy code, teachers may use only school-controlled social media to communicate directly with students or to comment on student matters. If it is not school-related, it is not permitted. However, this rule is not always acknowledged. At the end of the day, the privacy of students’ and teachers’ lives outside of school is up to each. If they feel like they should not share any aspect of their personal lives with each other, that is their decision. If they feel they can open up via social media, that also is up to them.