Conversations with Students

This exchange may or may not have taken place this morning during my first period English I class.

Background: I've set up a blog for my English class. I post discussion questions from the stories we've read, and their homework assignment is to leave a comment with their answer. I've stated explicitly on each post that they are to use first names only, and they should NOT post their last names.

ME: So I saw that some of you have been ignoring my instructions about posting, and you've been putting your first and last names out there for everyone to see. Why is that a bad idea?

STUDENT 1: Because of confidentiality.

ME: That's right. We don't need the world to know who and where you are. The school--and by school, I definitely mean ME--doesn't need that kind of trouble.

STUDENT 2: What's so bad about it?

ME: I guess somebody might happen upon our blog and find your name and decide to come snatch you up because he really loves your comment about what kind of man Sanger Rainsford is.

STUDENT 2: That person is crazy!

ME: Well, I admit, it is a very specific type of pedophile.