What best summarizes the policy on teacher-student social media relationships?

• A. Teachers should routinely be friends with students on social media.
• B. There is no policy governing teacher and student social media relationships.
• C. It is generally against the policy to be friends with students on social media, and after graduation, a friendship may be possible.
• D. Students can request to be friends even if policy forbids it.

Answer: (C)

This question tests how professional boundaries are handled in teacher–student online interactions. Policies generally say that teachers should not be friends with current students on social media because such connections can blur authority, create perceptions of favoritism, and raise safeguarding concerns. The power dynamic in a classroom extends into digital spaces, so keeping those relationships more formal helps protect both students and staff.

After a student graduates, that power imbalance shifts, and many policies allow or even expect a reassessment of the relationship. In those cases, friendship may be appropriate, provided it remains respectful and professional and does not raise new concerns about boundaries or safety.

Options that imply constant friendship with students, deny that any policy exists, or allow students to override a forbidden policy don’t align with these protections.