While not approved for use by SDOC here are some guidelines from FEA for PROTECTING YOUR PRIVACY IF YOU ARE INSTRUCTED TO USE GOOGLE VOICE TO CALL STUDENTS.
Some schools have asked teachers to call students by phone during this time of distance learning. Because OCEA does not want you to give away your personal phone number, we are suggesting if you should choose to use the Google Voice app, which assigns an anonymous phone number through the app.
As a public employee, all of your work-related communications are subject to public records laws— including all communications associated with these calls. Your district, as your employer, may request to see your work-related communications. If you have any sort of Google account (Gmail, web browsing, Google Maps, etc.), Google Voice will attach to your Google account. So, to avoid mixing your work-related communications with your personal Google activity, follow these steps:
- Create a new Google account that you will only use for calling students.
Use a professional username that identifies you as a teacher at your school. For example LASTNAME.SCHOOLINITIALS - Use a password for this account that is not associated with any of your personal accounts and that you will not mind handing over to the district if they request the log-in information.
- Create a Google Voice account connected to this new Google account.
- Google Voice allows calling from web browsers on a computer, so you can avoid installing software on your personal cell phone if you’d like. It’s possible in any modern browser; as long as you have a microphone on your computer (external or built-in), you can make and receive calls from https://voice.google.com.
- Only use this account to call students and their parents/guardians. All written communication (e-mails, notifications, reminders, etc.) should be via e-mail or other educational apps.
- Never text students from your personal cell phone or any other social media app. The DOE finds this highly inappropriate and may seek to suspend your teaching certificate.
- Sign out from your work-related Google account every time you are finished making work-related phone calls to ensure that your personal Google browsing history, location, and other data are not associated with your work-related Google account.