Shall I warn the teacher to be more careful?

[unlucky83]

I have been thinking about this for a few days... and want a teachers POV.
Had to talk to a teacher at DD's secondary about her. Most conversation took place by telephone (have already realised they seem to be very careful what they put in emails - no identifying details or specifics etc. )
However she also sent me a couple of emails with eg info on how to get access to something online - I replied basically saying thank you.
DD knew I was going to talk to the teacher but not that I would that day. When she got home from school I said I had - and she said she knew. Her 'friend' (who can be a bit of a stirrer) had been in the teacher's office and had seen an email from me. She also told DD it said things about DD being behind ...which was never said.
I guess she could have just seen the notification that an email have arrived from me flash up - or she might have actually seen the email...and made up the contents...
Do you think I should warn the teacher? I guess if it was just the notification - not really that big a deal????...but if it was the actual email?
I'm not cross (if I am cross at anyone it is with DD's frenemy - I've shown DD the emails so she knows nothing like that was said - she isn't behind!!!!) - tempted to say nothing as no harm done and I don't want the teacher to think I'm complaining (I'm really not) - but then again if it was the email it could have been something more confidential?

[partystress]

I think if you put it as nicely as you have here, she should be grateful. This was careless and could have been a lot worse.

[noblegiraffe]

It doesn't sound like the girl actually saw the email and was just making stuff up to wind your DD up. If the teacher was careful with subject headings etc, I'd leave it.

[unlucky83]

Ahhhhh - two opposing opinions...
I know that 'friend' is quite sharp and a bit sneaky - and I know she made up the content - but she could have had a glimpse of the email...
I guess some of it depends how long notifications stay on the screen...one of my email accounts it is there for a few seconds, not long enough to know more than you received a new email - whereas the other account it sits there in the corner 'you received and email from 'name' until you click on it...

[noblegiraffe]

Teachers know to be careful with their email, and you've no indication that she wasn't being careful with her email, so what would your email say?

[unlucky83]

Noble - I wouldn't email her - I'd phone her. Wouldn't put it in writing and also tone can be taken the wrong way . I would just tell her what I actually know - that DD's friend knew I'd emailed her- said she'd read it but actually didn't know what was said in it...
Sure the teacher will have some idea of how friend knew - notification or email left open...and can be aware.
Also not sure if I want another pupil knowing I am in contact with the school (this was her pastoral care teacher) -
DD used to be bullied and once there was a particular incident - DD didn't want me to talk to the school, or rather she didn't want the bullies to know I had - the school dealt with it brilliantly - the bullies were made aware that the school knew but they didn't think DD had 'told', they thought someone else had ... if they had seen an email from me....

[KP86]

Not just about your DD, too. What if the girl had seen something far more sensitive about another student? Was she snooping?

Teacher needs to be made aware. It may not have been an error on her part but IMO security needs to be lifted.

[senua]

If it was September I might be tempted to have a word. Not so much "watch your e-mails" (criticising teacher) but "you'll never believe what lies this child has managed to spin out of nothing" (helping telling teacher to watch her back).
But is it worth it in June? - will the DC have this same teacher next year?

[unlucky83]

senua this is their new teacher - in Scotland - they start the next year a month or so before the school holidays...
The reason I contacted her was that DD has ADHD and has a support plan. Last year the information wasn't passed on to her new teachers. I only found out in October - I got a letter home because she hadn't been doing her coursework...(in her support plan I should have been told before it got to that stage...). She isn't disruptive etc, just a bit chaotic and lacks focus so easily missed - she wasn't actually diagnosed until she was 14.
I knew it hadn't been passed on again because a teacher said something about ADHD children to their class - obviously not aware that they had a child with ADHD in their class...(DD was a bit upset - but doesn't want me to say anything - and I am sure the embarrassment coupled with their experience with DD will make that teacher rethink their prejudice...)

[isthatmytshirt]

As a (former) teacher, I'd definitely have wanted to know. You sound like you'd do it sensitively anyway, so I'd encourage you to. Hopefully the teacher has already got sensible precautions in place to avoid emails being read, but if it were me I'd want to know that a pupil had seen something so I could keep an eye to see if they were snooping where they shouldn't be etc. Even if this were the end of the year, it's worth flagging just so the teacher a) is aware of the snoopy child, and b) is aware of the things this "friend" has been saying to your daughter. Also worth it so the teacher can review her security if necessary, for the sake of other pupils in future. As you're in Scotland, and they're sticking with this teacher for another year then I'd definitely politely mention it.

Phrase it how you have here - I'd certainly not have taken offence over something like this, phrased like you have :)

[LockedOutOfMN]

Sounds like the girl has made it up, based on nothing more than perhaps spotting an email with your daughter's name as the title or your name as the sender, or not even that.

I have a huge problem at my school, none of the teachers has an office to work in so we work at our classroom computers. During breaks and lunchtimes the students wander in and out of the room and can easily see what is on our screens, even when they're told they're not supposed to and get sanctioned for being seen trying to look at teachers' computers. In my classroom and most other teachers', the screen of the teacher's computer is visible to the students so they could even quite innocently see things about other students just by walking into the room at the wrong moment without actually trying to look. I hate it. Also we have to be really careful with what we have on our desks, e.g. if it's lunchtime and I'm marking exams., I can't spread out the papers as I'd like to as students could walk in at any moment.

And students like to start using teachers' computers if ever we go out of the room, which, again, is "forbidden", but never really sanctioned properly, and drives me up the wall. I'll be in the middle of lesson planning, pop to the loo, come back and a student has plugged in headphones and is watching YouTube!!!!

Sorry, started ranted off topic. But your daughter's teacher may have tried very hard to be discreet and private with her emails but not actually have a fully secure place to work away from the students.

[ThenLaterWhenItGotDark]

Yes, Tell her that your daughter's friend claims to have seen her confidential mail and is fabricating the contents. Presumably to cause your daughter upset.