I think you raise a valid point regarding the grey area. Perhaps one key is to look at irresponsible behavior vs controversial behavior. I have read of teachers being fired for poetry that students read (on the web, that the teacher wrote). These are people I would likely defend.

On the other hand, there comes a point–being employed in one’s first job is a good point of coincidence–when behavior matters in a different way, and consequences get very real. While teachers lives are not so public as movie stars or politicians, it is best to maintain a broad swath of privacy around things that one would rather no display on the bulletin board in the hall.

Much, I imagine, rests on what one makes of one’s experiences and actions, positive or negative. I agree with Mike Curtis about narcissism, the “new god of self-esteem.” Narcissism is not only self-infatuation but lack of perspective on the self. To a degree we are all narcissistic. No one has enough perspective to make perfect decisions at every moment or to see oneself in relation to the larger world. No one is immune to mistakes, no matter what anyone says. But over time the present gains dimension. One learns to relate it to the past; to foresee consequences of actions; to perceive options, and to treat oneself and others with compassion and honesty.

The young teachers mentioned in the article apparently lacked this sort of perspective. That doesn’t mean they won’t gain it over time. This experience may prove transformative for some.

I have more perspective than I did at age 20, and look forward to much more still. I never expect to reach a point where I no longer make mistakes, or where I understand everything.

At the same time, there is grey area. To what extent does the profession dictate what a person can do on his or her own time? If a teacher writes stories, poems, or plays with mature, complex, or unsettling themes, should he or she refrain from publishing them? If a teacher has controversial opinions that could upset parents, should the teacher avoid expressing them publicly?

I imagine most would answer: “Of course not!–so long as the teachers separate their own life from their school life, and respect both.” Yet it’s perfectly conceivable that a principal would google a teacher to see what comes up, and decide that, well, this person doesn’t quite fit with the school culture.

Schools need to build and communicate a strong ethical code while honoring the ambiguities and unresolved questions within it. Education programs should include a practical and philosophical course in professional ethics.