A teacher panics after a student’s mom thinks she recognizes her from her social media accounts. This is an experience many high-profile influencers face in the workplace, but luckily for this teacher, the story doesn’t end there.
TikTok user @emshmem is a teacher who posts videos about her everyday life on the social media platform. In a video posted this week, @emshmem says, “Today, my worst fear happened. We had an open house at the school that I work at, and we have new parents coming in to check out our school.”
@emshmem says she was having a normal conversation with a couple and their young daughter. That’s when the mother asks a question that makes @emshmem a bit uncomfortable. “We’re having a good conversation, and out of the blue, the mom says, in this tone, ‘Have I seen you on TikTok?’”
Did the student’s mom recognize her from social media?
@emshmem admits, “I am panicking because, if you are unfamiliar with my TikTok account, it is not school-appropriate, OK? Also, my boss is standing right next to me. My boss turns and looks at me, and I’m like, ‘Uh, I don’t know.’ And then she asks, ‘Yeah, you’re the one who makes those Montessori videos, right?’”
It appears this is a case of mistaken identity. “Girl, I’m not, but you just scared me so bad,” @emshmem says to end the video.
In the caption, she writes, “Crying screaming throwing up.”
@emshmem Crying screaming throwing up #school #teacher #worstfear #parents ♬ original sound – emshmem🍃
Viewers react to the awkward situation
The video has amassed more than 347,000 views. In the comments section, viewers questioned why teachers are often asked to hide their personal lives.
“Why is teaching the only profession where we are expected to stay in character outside of work,” wrote one viewer.
A second viewer said, “I just say, ‘Isn’t everyone on TikTok!?’” @emshmem replied, “Love that answer, honestly.”
A third viewer wrote, “Can we just normalize if you see me in a professional setting and think you saw my TikTok—no you didn’t, no you didn’t.”
In a Reddit thread posted to r/TeacherTales four years ago, a user asked about teachers with social media and what boundaries educators draw with regard to what they share. One user recommended keeping social media private and creating a public-facing page where you can communicate with teachers and students.
In addition to citing potential legal liabilities, the user said, “Also, I cringe to imagine what my students would think if they saw my Reddit post history, let alone my other social media. It’s awkward enough seeing them at the grocery store….”
The Daily Dot reached out to @emshmem via TikTok comment and direct message for comment.
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