Preamble

This statement of principles defines the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association’s (NBTA) commitment in relation to its social media presence and applies to NBTA’s current and future social media accounts including accounts associated with the NBTA (e.g., accounts operated by Branches or Councils).

NBTA uses social media to enact the Objects of the Association and achieve its strategic goals, including:

• Advance and enhance the status of the teaching profession and the professional association with the membership, stakeholders, and the general public.
• Promote the importance and value of a high-quality, publicly funded public education system.

Additionally, social media is used to encourage members’ engagement within the Association, and its partner organizations, in the pursuit of the above.

The NBTA is currently active on Facebook and X (Twitter), and holds accounts on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and Vimeo for various purposes.

The NBTA is committed to freedom of expression while recognizing that teachers’ position of trust is not one which is without limits and teachers’ words and actions must not bring disrepute to the teaching profession and/or the education system. Further, teachers must ensure confidentiality and maintain the privacy of student information in online communications.

The NBTA reserves the right to moderate content that is posted by the NBTA or its social media platform users. The following principles guide the moderation of NBTA’s social media accounts, current and future.

Principle 1: Respectful Discourse

A) The NBTA reserves the right to remove any content that reasonably amounts to any of the following: threats, harassment, hate speech, or promotion of hatred that would likely constitute hatred pursuant to the Criminal Code.

B) NBTA reserves the right to remove and/or block comments/users that are or may be perceived to be discriminatory, harassing in any form, or inciting or depicting acts of violence in any form. Disrespectful language and/or profanities will not be tolerated.

C) NBTA is not positioned to fact-check every instance posted by users. Links that have been provided by third-party fact-checkers as misinformation, disinformation, fake news, or deep fakes, may be removed from NBTA platforms.

Principle 2: Healthy Boundaries and Privacy

NBTA is aware of the impacts of social media and screen time on teachers’ and students’ health and wellness and acknowledges the importance of maintaining healthy boundaries with technology.

A) NBTA staff does not monitor or moderate social media platforms outside of regular office hours.

B) NBTA is not responsible for the ways in which social media platforms collect and use data and strongly advises those who use the platforms to remain informed of the terms of use.

Effective Date: October 4, 2023

If you have questions about this statement of principles, please contact the NBTA at nbta.info@nbta.ca