Is there a reason they shouldn't be?

Well, there are issues that personal Facebook pages are too personal t be appropriate for the student teacher dynamic.
Some say that in order to maintain the respect and authority, a teacher can't share all their personal business with their students. Students don't need to know that their teacher had an argument with their husband or wife the previous night.
And a teacher, as a human being, shouldn't have to maintain the same demeanor with their family, friends, and co workers as they do with their students on their personal spaces, just so their students don't lose respect for them.

I don't have a developed stance either way, which is why I asked.

Personal life and professional life should be kept as far away as possible.

They should be permitted. However as a student it is sometimes not smart to be friends with your teacher and vice versa. So I understand if a a teacher/student does not want to be friend with their teacher/students.
But like a rule? No, I do not think that is necessary.

Honestly I agree that it's okay for students to become good aquaintances with teachers, but Facebook is so... I can't find a word for it, sorry.

But I assume every teacher has friends outside the school. What if one of the friends posts something... questionable... about the teacher on his facebook? Then the students might lose respect towards the teacher. It happened to a teacher of ours who was on Hyves, he got fired even though he couldn't help it.

Also students post a lot of random stuff on their facebook page. I don't have facebook, but all of my friends do and the things they post on facebook sometimes(nothing scandalous or anything, just like; "fuck this shit i'm throwing my fucking maths book away fuck this fucking fuck shit" <-- his words, not mine. I wouldn't want my teachers to read that and neither would he. If my teachers would have fanpop(lol'ed at the thought) I'd feel like I'd have to watch every letter I type because they could see it.

However I'm against the use of social webpages by autority-people overall, but that's a personal opinion irrelevant to the debate. I'm just saying so people will know where I'm coming from :P.

yes

^ Why don't you explain that? I'm sure Gibbs would like that XD

One of my teachers had the class turn in assignments via Facebook. She wanted her mother to see what her students were up to. She'd even throw in a bonus point if more people than were in the class "liked" it.

Hmm I think that's going into a grey area if the teacher says you have to be on facebook in order to complete assignments. Facebook is a personal software, it's not designed as a classroom device. There's danger whenever a teacher gets very close with a student, you can run into problems with not only privacy issues but also favoritism and lack of professionalism. But I think that's on the teacher to guard themselves and think through what they are doing. They shouldn't have any official rules except for the general one that the teacher must remain professional with students at all times.

Personally as a student, I like to wait until I'm finished taking the class, and then friend the teacher after in case I ever want to keep in touch.

Sure, if they're good friends. I'm friends on FB with the teachers I'm close to. Besides, they're more like friends than teachers anyway.

@DramaQueen1020
And that proves my point. They're TEACHERS, not some people who walk around in the school and occasionally teach you stuff while you become friends with them.

I agree with Jillywinkles. If you really like a teacher and you want to keep in touch, you should add him AFTER you're done taking classes. Otherwise you'll only lose respect and professionalism.

^ what so different about teachers?? There humans too! I dunno has your relation was with them but in my school we have kind of friendship bond with teachers! And many of them say they can't be friend with students on Facebook until they graduate! And that's stupid!

I think it may have something largely to do with your age differences. Students are generally underage while teachers are of legal age.
It may be easier to lessen the chance of anything inappropriate happening.

I think it's okay to be friendly with teachers. I used to babysit my orchestra teacher's son every once in a while, and when I was younger one of my teachers took me and my sister to a traveling carnival with her son any boyfriend.
But you can't entirely regulate everything about anyone's personal life, or tell them who they can and cannot spend time with.
But I think a certain level of regulation should be present. Even a small, virtual level.
Some boundries can let you know that there is still a level of professionalism to be expected.

Sure why not, so long as the teacher and the student aren't doing anything freaky (if you catch my drift) I don't see the problem. It could actually be useful for homework help and class reminders. And I would agree with viktoriya teachers are humans too, I could imagine that they are mature and professional enough to know what to and not to do with a student facebook friend.

I don't see why not. I'm good friends with some of my teachers. I don't see how it is any different than friending any other adult.