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A teacher on vacation posts a picture on Facebook depicting her frolicking on the beach in a swimming suit. Is she risking her professional reputation and putting herself in danger of discipline?

That’s one interpretation of a guideline on personal social media use handed out to some teachers in Ottawa’s public school board last week.

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The guideline warns against posting pictures involving drugs, alcohol or “scantily clad photos on the beach.”

It does not elaborate on what constitutes “scantily clad” — either of photos or, presumably, of teachers.

Teachers are always teachers, whether they are on their own time or whether they are in the classroom

Teachers are held to a higher standard of behaviour than some other professions. The Supreme Court has ruled that how they act outside the classroom is relevant to their ability to do their job. And The Ontario College of Teachers warns teachers to be very cautious in their use of social media.

But is a ban on beach photos going too far? That’s debatable, as is the wording of the guideline.