MS Schools Cracking Down on Inappropriate Relations

When staff and students in the Desoto County school district return from holiday break, they'll have to adhere to stricter socializing rules.

The school board has passed a new technology policy aimed at stopping inappropriate teacher/student relationships before they get out of hand.

The policy forbids teachers and students from texting, facebooking or twittering about anything but school business. A new conduct policy also prevents socializing on or off campus.

Superintendent Milton Kuykendall says the arrests this month of a teacher and substitute teacher on allegations they had sex with students expedited board passage of the policy.

"It's easy to get off on a social line. We need to always remember who we are. We're teachers. We're the teacher and this child is the student and we need to handle it in that matter."

The new policies on social networking and conduct take effect immediately once classes resume Monday.