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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder why anyone would think that FB...

28 replies

EvilTwins · 09/03/2011 19:22

...is a sensible and appropriate place to air their grievances about work?

I teach, and we've had a difficult staff meeting today, where we were told that there will be a number of redundancies this academic year. Those whose jobs are involved had already been told, but it was quite a shock for the rest of us. It's shit, and I have a huge amount of sympathy for those involved.

BUT... one of my colleagues has made a huge deal of it on Facebook this evening, and has a big long list of comments on her status update (including one from an ex-colleague referring to the senior management team as "cunts" and "fuckers") Why oh why would anyone thing that this is a good idea? The colleague in question is FB "friends" with one of our lunchtime supervisors who a) has a love of gossip (the more malicious the better) and b) has a child in the sixth form, so these redundancies are likely to be common knowledge amongst the students by morning.

Is it just me? Or is this a really silly thing to do?

OP posts:
hardhatdonned · 09/03/2011 19:25

IMO teachers shouldn't be 'allowed' (contractually) to use social networking mediums like facebook and twitter where anonymity is not guarunteed.

Socy · 09/03/2011 19:25

yanbu - It's a very silly thing to do. I know someone who was suspended & had to go to an employment tribunal over something similar.

MavisEnderby · 09/03/2011 19:26

YANBU.very silly

BeerTricksPotter · 09/03/2011 19:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Theonlyexception · 09/03/2011 19:30

So, hardhat, you think that teachers shouldn't actually be allowed to have a facebook account at all??

Original poster
EvilTwins · 09/03/2011 19:32

hardhat, I completely disagree with you there. You can't ban an entire profession from using social networking. You can, however, expect them to use it responsibly.

OP posts:
hardhatdonned · 09/03/2011 19:33

Not when situations like the OP's continue to happen, no. I also know a couple of teachers and other public sector workers who are extremely indiscreet in what they post on their profiles under the assumption that it's a closed profile to friends only so they are 'safe'.

AnnOrac · 09/03/2011 19:33

mad!

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 09/03/2011 19:36

i don't think you should discuss your work on FB / Twitter unless in the most positive and factual terms eg if I had a new product coming out at the co I used to work at - I would link to it and mention it but that's all. Think it's unprofessional and a disciplinary matter - I am Shock at the number of people who talk about their bad days on FB - people who are quite senior and usually IME professional.

Theonlyexception · 09/03/2011 19:36

It is a closed profile to friends only if you adjust your privacy settings accordingly.There is nothing wrong with using facebook as long as it is used responsibly. I use facebook for keeping in touch with friends and relatives that I live far away from.Why shouldn't teachers?

Eglu · 09/03/2011 19:38

My friend is a teacher and constantly laments the stupidity of some of her colleagues on fb. My friend has very strong privacy settings and is still careful about what she would write on there.

Your colleague is looking for a quick way to become one of those redundancies being so stupid.

atmywitssend · 09/03/2011 19:39

Hardhat - I disagree that they should be contractually banned from having FB but they should understand that comments as referred to by the OP are unprofessional and unacceptable. These are adults who should know how to conduct themselves appropriately.

Hulababy · 09/03/2011 19:40

hardhat - how can they ban you from using facebook full stop? That would be a complete over reaction imo. Most teachers and support staff are senible, respomsible and professional adults.

I work in schools (was a teacher, now a TA) and have a FB account. I would never dream of criticising school or a colleague on FB. None of my fellow colleagues would either, and never have done. Because we are professional!

PrincessScrumpy · 09/03/2011 19:40

hardhat - I work in a school and have a fb account. I have family all over the world so it's a fab way to share pics of dd and keep intouch. However, I don't criticise work, put up inappropriate pics (not sure I have any) and have tight controls on my account as to who can see it.

If people in ANY profession choose to slag off their colleagues/bosses then they should expect to have consequences - this is true of any profession and not just teaching.

saffy85 · 09/03/2011 19:44

YANBU very, very stupid thing to do and it's playing with fire.

where I work you have to sign a contract saying you will not mention our company by name on social network sites, bad mouth collegues, customers or company practice etc etc. Anyone who does faces disaplinary action and immediate dismissal.

Btw I don't think teachers should be banned from using these sites, daft idea really. But like everyone else they should use some discretion and think before they vent!

PrincessScrumpy · 09/03/2011 19:44

We are however banned from being friends on fb with kids at the school and parents of kids - bit difficult as some parents work in the school. I am friends with one parent - she's been my best friend from way back and is dd's god mother from before I started the job. I told our senior team and they have it noted on my file that they have authorised this fb friendship.

IMO it was a bit ott but I decided to cover myself as other colleagues new of the friendship and I could have been dropped in it (one lady probably would - she's like that!)

It's about being sensible.

lazylula · 09/03/2011 19:45

It is wrong to air any grievance with work on Facebook no matter what job you do, many a shop worker has faced disciplinary action for rants about their place of work, same with office workers ect, so no reason why teachers shouldn't use it but EVERYONE should be careful what they put on it. Even if you have all the correct security settings, there is nothing stopping someone on your friends list printing off a page and showing it to employers. OP, YANBU.

pozzled · 09/03/2011 19:45

I agree with PrincessScrumpy and others. I have a FB account but I would never mention anything about work, except in very very general terms. I do think teachers (and people in many other roles) should think about what they're writing, and should be open to disciplinary procedures if it crosses a line. But to ban all teachers from even having a FB account is a huge over reaction.

lazylula · 09/03/2011 19:52

I have also known of people who have been disciplined for bringing a company into disrepute (I think that was the term) by putting inappropriate stuff on their facebook and having their place of work listed on there. I would never disclose my place of work on Facebook for this reason.

stoppinchingthedummy · 09/03/2011 19:57

YANBU - she is very silly for mentioning work on fb - i work in a nursery and we have to sign a clause in our contract that we will not be friends with parents or discuss the nursery(work) in a negative way and if we do and it comes back to nursery we are likely to be sacked on the spot! She could find herself in big trouble!

Northeastgirl · 09/03/2011 20:05

YANBU. Taking a huge risk to post too much personal info on any internet website, including Facebook, twitter, even Mumsnet. I'm sometimes surprised how much info people give away online.

ReindeerBollocks · 09/03/2011 20:43

YANBU - a woman I know regularly insults some of her pupils, it amazes me that she continues to teach.

I don't think teachers should be banned from FB but surely it would only be professional and sensible to not air grievances on a social network site? DH wouldn't be allowed to discuss his clients on FB or in RL, yet that doesn't mean he is devoid of normal conversation or unable to use social networks, he just talks about other stuff. So it is completely reasonable to expect a teacher to do the same.

Original poster
EvilTwins · 09/03/2011 20:57

Glad the general consensus is that IANBU. I think it's very unprofessional of her. The comments on her status update are still rolling in...

No one should slag off their workplace on FB. It's just plain silly. The redundancies we're discussing won't take effect til the end of the summer term anyway, so she still has to work there for another 4 and a half months!

OP posts:
jenga079 · 09/03/2011 21:01

OP - YANBU. Your colleague sounds incredibly insensitive and thoughtless. There is a time and place for facebook and that wasn't it.

HardHat - YABU. Why should teachers be denied a social life? (If I didn't have facebook I would never see any of my friends; all events are arranged on there!)

HerBeX · 09/03/2011 21:02

I'm constantly amazed by a colleague of mine referring to work stuff and posting several times in the working day Hmm

It's odd how very unaware she is about how unprofessional it makes her look and how incriminating it could be if anyone wanted to get rid of her. I'm sure most organisations have some kind of clause in the employee's contract about not bringing the org into disrepute and posting negative stuff about work would definitely fit into that category.

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