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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Is this Headteacher being unreasonable?

68 replies

user1471507501 · 10/06/2017 11:57

I work in a school as a TA. The parents of the school have closed group Facebook pages for most year groups. Inevitably, they sometimes have a moan about the school on them. I happen to know that our Head has spies on some of these pages that keep him updated about any discontent. He will even say in the staff room "You'll never believe what so and so said on Facebook." I feel what he is doing is inappropriate. What do others think?

OP posts:

Trifleorbust · 10/06/2017 11:59

What do you mean, spies?

I think if they feel it is appropriate to say it, they can't complain when he comments on it.

bonfireheart · 10/06/2017 12:00

How does he spy on them if they're closed groups?
We run social media scans about work to judge public sentiment n use it to inform our planning. Is he using it to pick on people or is he being productive and using what he sees to improve the school?

Coddiwomple · 10/06/2017 12:01

If I was him, I would prefer knowing what is being said to, but I would keep quiet and absolutely not comment to my staff!

Everybody must realise that everything that is posted on Facebook is public. Anyone can make a screenshot of the posts and forward them accordingly, so there shouldn't be anything that confidential anyway.

PurpleMinionMummy · 10/06/2017 12:02

Do they not realise he's a member?

I don't think it's inappropriate really no. As long as parents aren't being told off for what they post

Allthebestnamesareused · 10/06/2017 12:02

So he has parents that tell him what other parents are saying. Even posting on a closed group you know that anything you say can be repeated by any member to anyone else. If you don't want people to know what you put on the internet don't post on it.

Original poster

user1471507501 · 10/06/2017 12:03

To clarify, he has parents who are part of the group that report back to him. They sometimes screenshot pages.

OP posts:

debbs77 · 10/06/2017 12:03

I said something in a group once (local area group not a school group) and had a call from the head the next week

Trifleorbust · 10/06/2017 12:05

The parents who share what people say in private are definitely being inappropriate, but he isn't forcing them to do that, I'd imagine.

Trifleorbust · 10/06/2017 12:05

debbs77

What did the head say?

witsender · 10/06/2017 12:07

I think that is inappropriate.

PurpleMinionMummy · 10/06/2017 12:13

I posted a fb status that was reported back to a head. I had school governors on my fl so it wasn't surprising done on purpose

I suppose it depends if the head has asked the parents to nosey on his behalf, that would be inappropriate of him. If they are freely showing him, imo they are the inappropriate ones who need to get a bloody life.

I would also so far as to argue that if what is posted isn't libellous, attempts by the school to prevent such expression could be deemed a breach of human rights

AlternativeTentacle · 10/06/2017 12:14

I'd be surprised if Heads didn't have spies on facebook pages to be honest. Not alot he can do about these parents though, he is not the Gestapo and they are not employed by him so what reasonably can he do about it?

kaitlinktm · 10/06/2017 12:17

He is making people aware that he knows what is being said. They are naive to think that anything posted on a local fb page, even a closed one, is going to remain confidential. He can't force people to inform him, so it must be their choice.

NerrSnerr · 10/06/2017 12:24

If someone wants something to remain private then they shouldn't post it on the internet, closed group or not. If people have legitimate concerns about the school they should talk to the school, not just have a moan on sm.

Ameliablue · 10/06/2017 12:26

It's more the parents who are telling than the headmaster that's inappropriate but a at the same time people should have more sense than to post anything against school or teachers on Facebook.

harderandharder2breathe · 10/06/2017 12:27

People shouldn't post anything they would be unhappy for the school to know. Yes it's a closed group but you should still assume anything you say could get seen by the school or reported back to them

I think HIBU to gossip about it but I think the parents don't have a leg to stand on really if they posted it, it's hardly a secret

technicolour · 10/06/2017 12:28

I'm a member of a local support group for parents of children with SN and they have a Facebook page that parents often post on for advice.

Apparently a local school took legal action against the people who run the group (who are a charity!) after an angry parent had criticised the school on their page.

Now we aren't allowed to say anything negative about any school/group/organisation on the page or it gets deleted by the mods.

I guess sort of thing is becoming more common as schools become increasingly aware of their social media image.

TBH I don't think very highly of any school that spends more time and money protecting their online image than they do protecting their vulnerable pupils with SN but there you go.

LuluJakey1 · 10/06/2017 12:28

Facebook is disgusting and dangerous. He does right to monitor it and what is being said about the school on it. If parents have something to moan about they should speak to him not moan on a public site - which is what it is, however they set the limits of the group. Adults behave like children on Facebook when they start whinging about things. The adult thing to do is talk to the Head, not whinge and gossip on a social networking site.

ADishBestEatenCold · 10/06/2017 12:29

"he has parents who are part of the group that report back to him. They sometimes screenshot pages."

How do you know they do that? Does he tell you?

BattleaxeGalactica · 10/06/2017 12:29

Makes me even more glad I don't indulge in FB fuckwittery.

The parents will find out eventually though. This kind of house of cards always tumbles in the end and the fallout will be very entertaining.

Loopylou00 · 10/06/2017 12:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Loopylou00 · 10/06/2017 12:35

Wrong thread!

Axissyrr · 10/06/2017 12:35

While I don't think it's inappropriate for the head to want to know what's being said about him/his school/his staff, it is inappropriate for him to gossip about it. He shouldn't even be saying anything unless it's a serious safeguarding issue. He should be working to resolve the issues in a way that doesn't draw attention to himself, unless there's some serious allegations!

Surely if you were a headteacher, you'd want to know what the parents think about your school and policies .

FluffyMcCloud · 10/06/2017 12:38

People shouldn't post inappropriate things on Facebook! I can never understand why people put some of the things they do online, right there in black and white for who knows who to see! Even closed groups, all the members won't know each other well surely?

LuluJakey1 · 10/06/2017 12:39

Most adults who moan in groups on Facebook never get off their backsides and do anything constructive about it. They just like to be big mouths on Facebook, whipping other people up.

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