MLM Counties News. Notices. Need-to-know Information.
The Missouri Senate on Monday is expected to debate a change to a contentious law that restricts what teachers can do on social networking sites.
The law, passed earlier this year, forbids private online communication between teachers and students.
Several teachers filed lawsuits in August challenging the constitutionality of the measure, and Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem entered a preliminary injunction shortly before the law was to go into effect in late August.
Lawmakers are attempting to fix what they say were the unintended consequences of the law during the Legislature’s special session, which began this week. A Senate committee on Wednesday endorsed a bill that would repeal the communications prohibition, although it would also require school districts to adopt policies to prevent “improper communications” before next March.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, called it a “real simple local control bill” at Wednesday’s hearing.
Mike Wood, a lobbyist for the Missouri State Teachers Association, which had taken part in the lawsuit, testified that the association supports the fix.
The bill still needs approval from the full Senate and the House in order to pass. The bill was formally submitted to the Senate on Thursday morning, and Sen. President Pro Tem Rob Mayer said it likely would be debated Monday afternoon, when the special session continues.
The bill is SB1.
