reuse of private static variable

Hi

I have a class that contains static private variable. If the static private variable is access somewhere as shown in BiggerPanel, the SocialScreen flexTable.setWidget will not set an image as expected. No image is put in the flextable. The SocialScreen flexTable.setWidget works if I remove the SocialScreen.getfbImage() from BiggerPanel. It seems the static private variable is not reusable. Why is it like that?

Thanks

class SocialScreen extends composite

{

static private Image fbImage;

static public Image getFacebookImage()
{
        return fbImage;
}

public SocialScreen()

{

//To put the face book on the flextable

        fbImage = new Image(images.facebookIconImageData().getSafeUri());
        image = fbImage;
        flexTableLeft.setWidget(r,c,image);

}

Class BiggerPanel

{

socialPanel=new SocialScreen();

acctPanel=new AcctPanel(){

    //Use the static function/static image of the SocialScreen

    Image fb=SocialScreen.getfbImage()

}