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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not want to be harassed about work via Facebook during my holiday?

46 replies

ClarissaTheTeenageWitch · 30/05/2015 18:22

Just got back from lovely camping holiday in the back of beyond with no internet for days to find I've been added to a conversation about work related stuff by two colleagues on Facebook who are discussing schemes of work and controlled assessments (I'm a teacher), asking me various questions etc. Surely this should be done via email?! I really didn't want to think about work until tomorrow morning, but now I have no choice. AIBU to ignore them?

OP posts:
roidrage · 30/05/2015 18:23

You have to ask? Really?

FeckTheMagicDragon · 30/05/2015 18:25

Leave the conversation and hide or drop them. I have no one from my current job on FB. It's for fun and keeping in touch with friends and family.

EvilTwins · 30/05/2015 18:25

Of course it's ok to ignore. Or reply with "not working Til tomorrow - I'll be on email in the morning" or whatever. If you're friends on FB with colleagues, then you can't really stop them from talking about work stuff though.

RuddyHellItsSoftCell · 30/05/2015 18:26

Maybe post in the staff room instead of aibu? These seems like it might be a bit teacher specific as to whether it's u or not

AlpacaLypse · 30/05/2015 18:26

One reason I seriously dislike about FB messaging is that the sender of the message gets to see that you have seen their message, so you can't pretend you haven't spotted it yet.

It would be perfectly reasonable for you to say that you've seen there are messages but will not have time to consider their queries until tomorrow morning.

yummumto3girls · 30/05/2015 18:33

Totally unreasonable and inappropriate to use Facebook for work related conversations!!

Original poster
ClarissaTheTeenageWitch · 30/05/2015 18:36

One member of the conversation is my Head of Department!

OP posts:
Blueandwhitelover · 30/05/2015 18:37

you can set your fb so that people don't see that you have read your messages using firefox, go to tools addons do a search for facebook seen blocker. HTH

Curioushorse · 30/05/2015 18:39

i think you've blurred the boundaries between school and home by having them as fb friends. To be honest, if you're secondary, i don't think this is a real holiday anyway. Half the teachers i know have been in running revision sessions this week. I've certainly been thinking about schemes of work and have had a couple of chats with colleagues about them. This is the first chance most of us have had to start thinking about the new crazy syllabi/curricula changes.

Original poster
ClarissaTheTeenageWitch · 30/05/2015 18:46

Everyone in my department is 'friends' with each other on there and have been for years. I am secondary and it is a real holiday as I'm not paid for it (as with every other holiday). I have done work and am thinking about the coming weeks thank you.

OP posts:
Sallyingforth · 30/05/2015 18:56

You have to ask? Really?
My feeling exactly. This isn't meant as an insult but as a secondary school teacher you should be able to deal with something like this without asking for advice on an internet forum. Only you know how your relationships with your colleagues work.

i think you've blurred the boundaries between school and home by having them as fb friends.
Yes again. It's always going to cause problems at some point.

LaurieFairyCake · 30/05/2015 19:03

The problem is you thinking you have to answer them.

My Dh is a department head and he's just said he would be having convos with others and asking questions of others - with NO expectation of a response before Monday
(He doesn't use facebook for work but others do)

Original poster
ClarissaTheTeenageWitch · 30/05/2015 19:16

I can deal with it; I was just having a moan really. As a secondary school teacher you should be able to deal with something like this without asking for advice on an internet forum Grin I asked how to get my windows streak free the other week: is that ok or should I refer to my teacher's handbook?

OP posts:
Sallyingforth · 30/05/2015 19:26

Dirty windows? You need a virus checker! :)

1Morewineplease · 30/05/2015 19:43

Bloody Facebook..fear it will one day take over!
Ignore it ... If you're not on that shitsite then you won't know ...work related stuff should be emailed or , dare I say, 'phoned... Ignore it ( but I know you can't as you're too conscientious, being a teacher) .. Think it needs to be brought up at next staff meeting as this is very unprofessional... It's hard I know !
Also ... Might a parent be able to view teachers' info swaps? It's all too complicated now!

Mistigri · 30/05/2015 19:48

It doesn't sound like harassment tbh.

I think you have to make a choice between having colleagues on your flist (and risking work intruding into your time off), or not having any colleagues as FB friends. Personally I think the latter is preferable and for anyone with any "public presence" (including teachers) it makes sense not to use your real name on social media.

AgentCooper · 30/05/2015 19:49

I feel for you, OP. I got a text from one of our interns about a work issue at 6am this morning. I was dying for a lie in and couldn't get back to sleep!

Work should stay at work unless we're talking life and death, IMHO.

ArtyHearts · 30/05/2015 19:52

It's completely inappropriate for them to use FB for it and it's inappropriate for you to ask on MN about it -I hope my DCs teachers can make decisions without having to ask on an internet forum about it.

Original poster
ClarissaTheTeenageWitch · 30/05/2015 20:07

I have acknowledged that I am able to make a decision about this on my own. Glad a few people agree that it's a tad U to private message on Facebook about work stuff on the holidays rather than email, but I shall endeavour never to ponder such things on an internet forum in the future. Hope you'll be able to sleep tonight for worrying if I'm your DCs inappropriate teacher Arty

OP posts:
Melonfool · 30/05/2015 20:25

"One reason I seriously dislike about FB messaging is that the sender of the message gets to see that you have seen their message, so you can't pretend you haven't spotted it yet."

I have mine set to email me messages - so I read them in the separate email and decide if I want to 'open' the fb message, so i kn ow what has been said but it doesn't get marked as 'read.

Anyway, no, work is during work time. Leave the conversation.

kickassangel · 30/05/2015 20:31

Unions have very clear guidelines about this. You know best whether it was just an unthinking attempt to get a conversation going, or a HoD who doesn't respect boundaries. Feel free to unfriend them.

Ragwort · 30/05/2015 20:46

Does every single teacher in your school use FB?

Genuine question, I work in an industry where it is frequently suggested that we use Facebook/twitter etc to 'engage' with our customers and colleagues.

Neither my manager nor I have any interest in using FB or twitter so we just ignore the suggestions - and manage to be the top performing division Grin.

EvilTwins · 30/05/2015 21:19

Oh FFS. Why is it inappropriate for teachers to use Facebook? Are we not allowed a life? Are we not allowed to be friends with our colleagues? Since this thread has started, I've had a FB messenger conversation with a colleague about next year's school play. We were arranging when we could get together with a bottle of prosecco to watch the DVD of said show.

I know other teachers who communicate about work stuff via Whatsapp. What concern is it of anyone else? If the OP doesn't want it, she shouldn't engage in it, but there dnoen't need to be any blanket ban.

quietasamouse · 30/05/2015 22:26

I would just ignore it. They've been a little too eager but you ca set boundaries. Then you're beginning to train them into not contacting you that way as you won't reply. Smile

trollkonor · 30/05/2015 22:31

Yanbu to ignore them.

When ypu get back have a chat and ask that work related comms go through the corrrect channels.