Skill: Respecting Others' Privacy | Learning Goal: Healthy Relationships

Grades: 9-12 | Activity Type: Lesson | Purpose: 🟢 Core Instruction

Be Good People Curriculum © St. Croix River Education District

How Do You Respect the Boundaries of a Private Conversation?

People can be drawn to gossip like a moth to a flame, but what is our responsibility to recognize when a conversion isn’t our business and to back off?

On a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you relate? Why?

What connection(s) do you see between our topic and any of these values? Why?

Marcus notices his friend left their phone unlocked on the lunch table while getting food. Their DMs are open and visible, and other friends start reading them, saying "if they left it unlocked, it's fair game." He knows his friend is private about their messages.

How should Marcus handle this situation? What’s important to consider?

What wisdom would you share with a middle schooler about how to be respectful of other people’s privacy?

Picture this!

Without naming names, have

you ever seen someone share a photo, message, post, etc. online and thought, ‘I would never share that publicly’?

Do you think people have different boundaries regarding what they consider “private”? Why?

Someone might say that a direct message online is like an in-person conversation, and both should be private, but a public post online is like giving a speech and both can be talked about freely.

Do you agree or disagree? Why?

Without names or details, have you ever crossed someone’s boundary by asking for too much information? How did you know?

And what are some signs you think you’d give off if someone asked for information that you didn’t trust them enough to give them?

Alice sees her friend's doctor's appointment reminder for a therapist while they're checking movie times on their phone. Her friend has been saying they've been busy with "family stuff" after school.

Skip to end

Play it out: How would the tips and suggestions that we’ve discussed look in this situation?

Words of wisdom: What advice would help someone handle this situation well?

Heads up: What pitfalls should someone try to avoid in a situation like this? How?

Lessons learned: I’ve been through a similar situation and here’s what I learned from it…

Choose one ⬇

Leila overhears her classmate Zoe talking to someone on the phone about a sensitive family situation. Leila’s tempted to ask Zoe about it later but knows it’s a private matter.

Skip to end

Play it out: How would the tips and suggestions that we’ve discussed look in this situation?

Words of wisdom: What advice would help someone handle this situation well?

Heads up: What pitfalls should someone try to avoid in a situation like this? How?

Lessons learned: I’ve been through a similar situation and here’s what I learned from it…

Choose one ⬇

Maya finds her friend's college essay draft left up on a school computer. Other students want to read it for "inspiration," but she knows it contains personal family stories her friend hasn't shared widely.

Skip to end

Play it out: How would the tips and suggestions that we’ve discussed look in this situation?

Words of wisdom: What advice would help someone handle this situation well?

Heads up: What pitfalls should someone try to avoid in a situation like this? How?

Lessons learned: I’ve been through a similar situation and here’s what I learned from it…

Choose one ⬇

Leah sees personal messages pop up on her friend's laptop during their project work when they step away. Other group members start reading them out loud, saying "they should've closed their tabs if they wanted privacy."

Skip to end

Play it out: How would the tips and suggestions that we’ve discussed look in this situation?

Words of wisdom: What advice would help someone handle this situation well?

Heads up: What pitfalls should someone try to avoid in a situation like this? How?

Lessons learned: I’ve been through a similar situation and here’s what I learned from it…

Choose one ⬇

The skills and values that we discussed included: