I think the school better stop trying to play nanny to MY children. *I* (and my husband) make the rules that govern *OUR* home- not the schools. Get back to teaching reading, mathematics, language arts, social studies, science, art, phys ed, music- and quit trying to usurp my authority.

If you ban something from a child it only makes it more desirable. This was true when you were a kid, and it’ll be true when these children have kids. This was true during prohibition and through the banning of marijuana. Banning something never works. It looks like we are actually going to have to teach the younger generation to be more responsible instead of just sticking their heads in the ground.

Miki – Exactly. Why should a school have a say in what happens off school property, after hours?

@ Miki Speed – I think that’s the better tack as well – let parents know the basic details, let them know that they really need to educate themselves about it, but don’t outright ban it.
@GP – I believe at one point you had to have an .edu email address to sign up, it is 13 as the age limit although I think that’s far too young.

Activities such as driving, alcohol and tobacco use are governed not by schools, but by the government. A better question to ask would be this:
With this sort of intrusion, will you stand for the school telling you what video games your child is permitted to play AT HOME? How about what TV programs? How about music? (Good luck with all of my kids being headbangers already, LOL!). And what about books? What happens when a local school district decides to censor your kids’ reading list?
What makes this proposed ban any different than proposing to ban “Harry Potter” or “Twilight” books in the homes of middle school-aged children? A proposed ban on “heavy metal” or “hip hop”? A proposed ban on “Blades of Glory” for the Wii? Or a proposed ban on Pirates of the Caribbean (rated PG 13)? Would you you support that overriding proposed foray into your private homes and parenting as well?

That’s due to parents shrugging off their own responsibilities and expecting schools to fill the role. I don’t. The local elementary is NOT my children’s parent- and if it wants to be, it can also pick up the bills for their medical care, health insurance premiums, clothing, dental/orthodontics and pro-rated utility bills, etc.

I think the principal needs to educate himself about Facebook and share some common-sense tips for safe networking instead of issuing a fatwa against it. There are oodles of controls for Facebook, including the creation of “limited access” groups, block lists, custom restrictions for each scrap of content, limitations on who can even find you on facebook, and various means of hiding annoying people or applications. There is no reason to suffer bullies on FB, or anyone you don’t like for that matter. Block every last one of them and it’s like they don’t even exist (too bad real life isn’t as easy to control!).
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I keep having the same discussion with otherwise savvy people who complain about their lack of privacy on Facebook and don’t realize all the power you actually have. RTFM and help your kids lock their profile down to a limited group of non-bullying friends.
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Facebook has made me closer to my younger siblings and cousins because it creates a “space” where we can share things with each other in a way that you just don’t do through direct communication. With families flung across continents we need these kinds of tools to keep in touch. To remain willfully ignorant of online social networking and cultivate fear around a handful of terrible stories is just foolhardy!

The school does not have a right to ban fb at home but at school I would be fine with it. And if it is a big problem at the school they should punish as needed and notify local law enforcement – I believe slander is still against the law in most states.