School, social media and professional standards.

[Gertrudeisgerman]

Does anyone else have experience of their DC's school interacting with and shutting down school related things on FB?

I am part of a mums group set up for social reasons on FB (we went on Christmas parties, going up the pub etc) but it has turned into a bit of weird conduit for the school after the admin of thus FB group ingratiated herself as a member of the staff at school (she's also a parent, think queen bee of alpha mums).

There has been a major H&S issue involving the children and mums have been discussing it on this group & suddenly it has been closed down and a very passive aggressive message sent out by the head on a school letter instructing parents not to discuss things about the school on social media but approach the school instead. I didn't/don't post on the page so it's not a personal axe to grind btw but I'm uncomfortable.

It isn't up to the head to tell people that they shouldn't be posting their opinions about the school on social media is it? Or AIBU? It's seems unhealthy that they expect unquestioning positivity about the school and try to shut down any criticism or concerns from parents who are actually very respectful on the whole. It isn't a dictatorship and if parents want to share their experience and worries of this H&S issue don't they have the freedom of speech to do that? There wasn't any abusive opinions voiced, more annoyance that the school were not taking a particular action.

Personal conduct on FB between parents and staff at the school is odd too. The amount of parents who are entangled in 'working' there, either paid or voluntary is bordering on weird. Parents being 'friends' on FB with their child's class teacher and staff and parents going away on social weekends away etc. Teaching assistants piping up in school related threads also seems to be frequent. AIBU thinking there is a blurring of professional boundaries? If I had these kind of relationships with my service users that I work with (health & social care) my ability to practice objectively would be questioned, no doubt. We have clear guidelines about social media though that I guess education doesn't? AIBU to be concerned?

If people have issues they should take it up with the school. I don't have a lot of time for people moaning on social media who don't have the courage or inclination to actually talk to the people/institution they're moaning about.

That was reposted on a PUBLIC page. And was about an individual, not a school. And she accused her of criminal acts.

Also didn't she win on appeal?

Not really comparable anyway.

They DID talk to the institution and they went to the LA too. So, that wasn't the case Fallon.

Then go higher, organise a meeting to discuss next steps or accept it. Don't moan on social media.

User

Libel is libel be it toward an individual or institution.

The example I posted was "made behind a locked Facebook profile, meaning messages are only meant to be visible to select friends." Certainly not a PUBLIC page.

"Not really comparable anyway."

Comparable to what? To you suggesting that you can say "pretty much what you'd like"?

This isn't my exact area of expertise and is getting further and further away from the OP but I do hate it when people pretend to be knowledgeable on a subject when they clearly know even less than I do.

The example I posted was "made behind a locked Facebook profile, meaning messages are only meant to be visible to select friends." Certainly not a PUBLIC page

It was reposted in a PUBLIC page which is why the case arose in the first place.
Please read the links you post

""What I do take issue with is HT thinking they can dictate/censor parents on social media by shutting down pages by proxy. ""

I don't think that's what's happened.

The issues on page have probably been fed back to the Head, who has then said that it isn't an appropriate place to discuss this and that as a Volunteer at the school, the administrator needs to consider what she's allowing on it.

In what way do you get involved with the School?

The problem is that a 'parents group' has become a 'parents and staff group' now that the admin and others have started working at the school.

You can't neutrally administer a group that is criticising your place of work.

It would have been more sensible to ask those working at the school not to get involved with discussing the school on social media.

If there is a school FB page or whatever to inform about spelling tests etc, it should be open to all parents and carers with a clear remit that any concerns about the school needs to be aired and addressed through the usual channels not online. If people want to slag the school off, they can do it somewhere else.

ailPartout - you are wrong.

In the same way I can say (publicly or privately) on social media that Orange is a crap company with shit customer service. I could go into minute detail why they are so dreadful. I could say say the same kinds of things about "Madeup Primary School" and discuss why they are crap.

What many local authorities are suing about, or at least they could, is defamation against individual staff members. It doesn't matter if that is said privately or otherwise online. That includes teachers, governors, the Head and any other members of staff.