to think a teacher shouldn't comment about their pupils on fb?

[Justholdthesmile]

Just that really.

And I'm talking about every kind of situation.

I deal with customers every single day - some are lovely and some even wish death on you, but I would never comment about them (or colleagues for that matter) even if I never mentioned their name over FB.

AIBU?

From what I can remember it was due to being seen by children buying alcohol and being reported doing so.

It was a stupid rule made worse as you could be reported anonymously so it could be used by anyone with a grudge.

I was once ticked off after a colleague's 15yo dd saw me snogging a bloke with a mohawk in the local alternative music venue...

Colleague mentioned it, jokingly, in the staffroom next day & someone thought it needed a mention to the HT. .

As for FB, I just keep anything negative non-specific. 'Tired & fed up' is OK. 'Completely pissed off with Jordan Berk in 11b4, the little shit. Tired & fed up' - not so much a good idea.

OP I would see nothing unreasonable about you commenting that a customer had done something lovely or, indeed, been a PITA. Equally I do not see anything unreasonable about a teacher posting that a kid had said/done something funny, made them feel proud etc. I'm friends with a huge number of ex-pupils on my fb and parents too. Every single one of those friendings has been initiated by the expupil, not by me. And the parents are people I either socialise with or who have children who are friends with mine. It has never been an issue at all. If a teacher is posting something cruel, mocking or that identifies a pupil by name it is unprofessional. That some schools have rules saying you can't post you have had a great or shit day is outrageous. There is such a thing as freedom of speech. Interestingly when I look at what my teaching colleagues are posting it is always sharing something positive - great school show, so proud of kids etc or simply saying it has been a hard term and they are looking forward to the holidays. What could be considered unprofessional about that?

On the other hand teachers are far, far more likely to be on the receiving end of vicious, untrue and personal attacks than to be making them. So let's save some indignation for that.

Sorry - could you please explain again (as I'm sure that you must've already done so but I've missed it) how you have access to her FB page? Don't you feel like you're intruding?
Is your DC in her class?

YANBU. I work in health and we have a social media policy. The policy is don't discuss work! People have been disciplined in the past. I think in positions of trust it is very unprofessional to have a "vent", or relay lovely little annecdotes on the internet that's what staff rooms and tea breaks are for

I am a teacher and will admit to posting abou school ever so often. In the last 6 months I have posted 2 photos and 2 comments.

The photos are of my displays as I was very proud of them and they took me ages.
One comment could be seem as negative as it says my hand hurts after marking over 200 exercise books in the space of the weekend. The other is saying my job has its ups and downs but knowing how much the parents appreciate what you do and a smile from a child makes it all worth while.
Both things I would happily put on a bill board and say to a parents face... But according to people here I should be sacked cause I talked about work on fb.

I'm a teacher and I post about school. Not pupils or colleagues directly, I would never do that but things such as "mock marking took ages!!!", "great lesson today with year 10 :)". However I do not have my school listed on my job info and I have namechanged so kids (and management) can't find me. Any real moaning I do is about Gove/Wilshaw. (However this is sometimes because I can't moan about certain people in my school and how the staff feel at the mo)

It

It makes me angry that as teachers we're not "allowed" to have a life outside of work & can be held accountable to comments that other people in different careers can make at a whim.

I don't make personal comments but would like to celebrate my good days & moan about my bad days. I can't do neither since a colleague got into trouble for posting a "countdown of get ups" to the next holiday; apparently it implied she hated the job!

If teachers can't comment on school maybe this same rule should apply to parents & students (maybe pupils should be banned from secretly filming us & posting it on social media too).

It really depends on what was said and if a child could be easily identified.

Great coment Tiredbutstillsmiling As in many things, everyone has more rights than teachers

Oh yes tiredbutstillsmiling.. I regularly type my name into twitter and it comes up with some interesting reading!

I've always believed that if I've got to be a teacher 24/7/365 then I should be paid for 8,760 hours a year. If they want to own me, body and soul and hobbies and shopping, they should pay for all of it.
But no, I never post about school, or children, or the job. I have a life outside work and friends who don't teach and FB is part of that life for me.
Big Brother intrusion? Would parents be happy with that level of scrutiny into their own lives?

On the flip side, what is the difference if pupils maybe mention the names of staff in a negative way on FB? Is that not considered a breach of confidentiality at all?

You mean that parents and children shouldn't be allowed to slag off teachers on social media?
Would I like to live in a world where censorship and Stepford Rules were in charge, and where I could report every infringement to The Man?
Probably not.

greendorian

"On the flip side, what is the difference if pupils maybe mention the names of staff in a negative way on FB? Is that not considered a breach of confidentiality at all?"

there are sites set up just to rate teachers and schools, all in the name of freedom of choice and truth.

This teacher could be in serious trouble. Report him/her if you are concerned.

I know of someone who was (rightly IMO) sacked from a retail job for slagging off his work place and colleagues (he didn't name them). As he had signed the companies social media policy, it was a job rained that he would be sacked when the outburst was reported. The school is a teachers workplace. It isn't appropriate to post negative things about it, colleagues and pupils. Just like it isn't in any other job. It doesn't mean that teachers can't/shouldn't have a normal life. It's normal to not be allowed to post negative comments about your workplace online.

Job rained =no brainer

As thatisall says this is not just restricted to teachers is it?

I know several police officers socially. NONE of them have a FB page.

I work in the public sector and whilst we are allowed to have FB we do sign a fairly restrictive social media policy. I do have FB, but under a fake name, set to not searchable, no work colleagues as friends and I keep my status updates to topics that are the equivalent of kittens and the weather.

If you don't like it, don't sign the policy. I don't think it is restrictive, just common sense. I do have a life, but I don't live it out via social media

I agree about the negative comments . Although to be honest if I felt like I constantly had negative points to make on FB about my job , I would leave .

I often post had a great day or a non identifying account of something heartwarming.

A freedom of speech argument doesn't hold much water,too much of a catch all situation.

The problem is where to draw the line ,very difficult on social media. Thus in a professional sense it's best if nothing good or bad is discussed in this way. We wouldn't expect health care workers to mention their patients or solicitors to mention their clients. Teachers should be no different.

I also think being friends with ex pupils or pupils parents on social media sites is unacceptable - sorry!

Also agree that pupils and parents should not be commenting on teachers using social media. Schools should be clearer on the appropriate ways of communicating, surely something the head should clearly define.