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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Teacher with public Facebook page and very political views. Would you find this offensive?

135 replies

Yellowbowlbanana · 30/03/2021 22:05

My dd came home from school today and showed me a Facebook page belonging to one of her teachers. His posts were there for all to see although comments had been disabled. His personal information was not visible either.

His page was basically a homage to the Conservative party but at the expense of others with differing views. Everyone who supports labour or is a liberal is left-wing trash/Marxist/communist. He shares conspiracy theories that China imported the Covid variant because we were getting on top of the vaccine. He makes fun of Prince Harry asking if he's started lactating in a thinly veiled attempt to question his masculinity. He calls anyone who voted for Scottish independence an anglophobic dimwit and a bigot.
I have no problem with people sharing their political opinion but I really hate the need to squash others when doing so. I am sure that he is not sharing these views with his students but as they are all able to see them they are all clearly aware.
I think he is a very clever man but he is a shit teacher for my dd and I really don't like him. He was completely negligent in the first lockdown to the point that I made a formal complaint against him. I don't know whether this is clouding my viewpoint or whether this is an actual issue.
What do you think?
YANBU - this is not acceptable
YABU - this is perfectly fine

OP posts:

twelly · 31/03/2021 07:56

The teacher is entitled to his views as the op said, he would be best advised to keep his fb profile hidden, but he hasn't broken the law, teachers are allowed an opinion. Teachers can stand for a local council they can be a member of a political party and attend meetings which their pupils may hear of - they can't promote their views within a classroom.

chaosrabbitland · 31/03/2021 08:01

i think you need to tell your dd she hasnt got any business to be looking him up on facebook , its not your concern what his views on politics are . its not like hes teaching them to the class is it ? the man has got a right to privacy and just because you dont like him doesnt give you the right to start reporting him , nosy self righteous parkers like you remind me of what it must be like living in a communist country

RosesAndHellebores · 31/03/2021 08:03

Extraordinary thread. Firstly why is your child and/or you looking for a teacher on Facebook if not to be intrusive? Secondly the anger that a teacher should never disclose their political views when they constantly project left wing wings onto their pupils. I recall a head publishing an article in a newsletter about why teachers should strike. I got a verse terse response from the chair of governors, who was a Labour Councillor, in response to my request to publish a piece about why they should not strike in order to provide a balanced view. Likewise I recall a primary head who let off with the children 100 red balloons on election day.

Perfectly happy to support the idea that teachers keep their political views private but that means all views across the spectrum.

LouiseBelchersBunnyEars · 31/03/2021 08:20

Another who’s more than happy, and think teachers should be apolitical, but I’m more worried about left wing teachers imposing their views if I’m honest, as that seems to be encouraged/ignored.
DD came out of school one day saying bad things about Donald trump.
She didn’t know who Donald Trump was before this, and told me her teacher had told her.
I’m not disagreeing, I just don’t agree with the teacher saying it.
Many friends and family had the same with their DC, particularly around brexit. I don’t think it’s their place. It’s not like they’re sixth formers, they’re young kids.
I would feel the same if it was anti Corbyn, not their place.

I’d be less concerned if it was an anonymous Facebook political page tbh, I’ve known so many overt in the class instances.

MichelleScarn · 31/03/2021 08:20

It really is becoming like 1984.. democracy at its finest.
'All political opinions are of course personal, as long as they are left wing and Labour. Unless you're in Scotland where Labour isn't acceptable and you must be SNP'

Would you be complaining if he was posting Labour views?

jessycake · 31/03/2021 08:24

I am left wing and think he is entitled to his views , however he should have changed his name and possibly his profile picture , for his own sake .

tangerinelollipop · 31/03/2021 08:41

the anger that a teacher should never disclose their political views when they constantly project left wing wings onto their pupils
Likewise I recall a primary head who let off with the children 100 red balloons on election day

Blimey!

Perfectly happy to support the idea that teachers keep their political views private but that means all views across the spectrum

^This

twelly · 31/03/2021 08:56

Many teachers are fearful of expressing their views outside work due to parents complaining and many feel silenced.

LadyCatStark · 31/03/2021 09:14

This could easily be a fake profile especially with the comments being disabled. Why would you disable the comments on your own FB page?

Alittlebitlostrightnow · 31/03/2021 09:15

I’m torn on this. His political views should not enter school...but this is his personal social media. Teachers shouldn’t HAVE to be professional on it. I k ow it is written into code of conducts in school to have it private and what to share etc...but I just don’t think it should have to be. I wonder if you would have posted this off your have agreed with his views or they weren’t so extreme? Teachers should be able to have a life outside of school. The students shouldn’t be looking up their teachers on social media...but we all know that they will and we can’t stop them.

FOJN · 31/03/2021 09:20

I also think it models pretty poor behaviour and judgement to insult any one who doesn't share your views.

I completely agree with you here.....

I am not far-left trash because I support BLM. Supporting Mark Drakeford does not make me a communist (just an example).

but is it possible you've taken his views (assuming they are his) personally?

TurquoiseDragon · 31/03/2021 09:32

[quote WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants]@Yellowbowlbanana

I would just drop the HT an email saying I suspected that someone had set up a fake account for this teacher as I was sure he wouldn't be posting stuff like this on an open account. Either way that should get it sorted.[/quote]
This seems a good idea.

EnoughnowIthink · 31/03/2021 09:37

I think it’s perfectly normal for children to search for their teachers online

As a teacher, I accept that it happens but it's not 'normal'. It's a very deliberate attempt to get to know anything at all about a teacher's personal life and, usually, spread whatever is learnt around as many children in school as possible. It means teachers are having to change their names on social media to be able to interact with friends and colleagues and are therefore not visible to potential contacts/former friends/former colleagues/long lost family members etc. It means we have to think twice before friending a colleague we work with (some of whom we may be genuine friends with) to avoid connections being made and it means some of us think twice about sharing good practise and experience online with colleagues in other schools. It's unpleasant and can lead to all sorts of problems for teachers - indeed, as someone has said, it can ruin careers if not properly investigated when issues like this are put before a head teacher. Teacher's photos can be taken from their accounts and photoshopped into all sorts of compromising situations and we have to deal with seemingly endless friend requests from groups of students who think they're hilarious. Many of my colleagues are no longer on social media which is totally unreasonable given the power it holds in regards to communication about everything and anything and the place it plays in our society today.

So encourage your children to have normal pursuits like minecraft and fortnite and not to attempt to delve into someone else's private life just for their own amusement. I feel quite sure if teacher's started looking at your social media you would have something to say about it.

drainrat · 31/03/2021 09:42

Google Will Knowland at Eton.

Lost his job, his house, and his very nice public school pension.

Free speech is not a right. Ignoring your employer’s policies on social media use is appallingly stupid. It’s all very poor behaviour and the thing about being a teacher is that your work is literally to teach ie provide guidance and role modelling.

MummytoCSJH · 31/03/2021 09:43

Children have looked up their teachers on social media for years and will continue to do so, which is why it is wise of teachers to use a different name or picture or change it to friends only. I left school 8 years ago and we definitely did. The dd isn't at fault here. It's just a funny thing to do for kids. I would do as others have suggested and email concerned that this 'may' be a fake profile. Either way it should get looked into.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 31/03/2021 09:50

Unable to muster a reasoned reply you resort to the language of the playground bully.

tangerinelollipop · 31/03/2021 09:59

Free speech is not a right

Oh dear...

being a teacher is that your work is literally to teach ie provide guidance and role modelling

I thought teachers are supposed to teach 'facts' but remain neutral at school? Nothing indicates this teacher hasn't BTW. What constitutes a 'role model'?

Crabwoman · 31/03/2021 10:02

I know a few teachers who are councillors so there is nothing wrong with him having political affiliations. It does sound that he is either unaware, or is unprofessional or not savvy about social media.

The rights or wrong of the content aside. I would report for the following reasons,

DH is a teacher, there was an incident a few years ago with kids setting up fake social media for teachers and their partners accounts with all sorts of content. Was not a good situation when uncovered. Furious teachers and kids in serious trouble.

If it is genuine then the school as a whole need to be made aware that children are sharing social media accounts of teachers and may need to update their guidance for teachers and pupils. Some school are all over this, others are a bit behind.

drainrat · 31/03/2021 10:10

@tangerinelollipop Could you please show us the relevant statute about free speech?

drainrat · 31/03/2021 10:11

Being unemployable because your ego-driven dick moves put you in breach of your employer’s internal policies is pretty poor role modelling, however you look at it.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 31/03/2021 10:14

I’m😵

I’ve been a teacher for 25 years. All my colleagues during that time were very left wing. I’ve never met a right wing teacher.

MichelleScarn · 31/03/2021 10:14

@tangerinelollipop

Free speech is not a right

Oh dear...

being a teacher is that your work is literally to teach ie provide guidance and role modelling

I thought teachers are supposed to teach 'facts' but remain neutral at school? Nothing indicates this teacher hasn't BTW. What constitutes a 'role model'?

Clearly a role model for some is only someone who thinks exactly like they do. Anyone who doesn't needs to be 'reported' and educated probably, and even profusely apologising for not thinking the right way for some will never be enough.

twelly · 31/03/2021 10:18

Free speech is a right - the law is very clear on what you can and can't say.
My view is an employer can tell you how to behave at work but they don't own your mind.
I am sure many of us have sat through training disagreeing with views presented sometimes by the trainer on various issues with often political connotations. The employer does not have a right to tell you what to do outside your workplace (although their might be a clause on bringing negativity on the workplace.)

The UK promotes free speech and freedom -

DaenarysStormborn · 31/03/2021 10:26

There are rules about this. Social media should not be visible because of a phrase about 'bringing the school into disrepute' which is in most contracts.

A hiring team searched for me on Facebook when I was interviewed. Many teachers go by fake names or misspell their names on Facebook to make it harder to find them. His settings should be locked down.

The fact that it's public means he's either very stupid or the account isn't his.

Geamhradh · 31/03/2021 10:41

@MummytoCSJH

And if it turns out it's a fake profile set up by his students to humiliate him it could be constituted as hate crime/cybercrime/identity theft. As others have said, this teacher might be a loon who has taken on every unpleasant societal attitude and is spreading it over his SM while disabling comments. Or it's a fake profile which, on the face of it, is far more likely I'd definitely tell the school. Then I'd be prepared for the truth to not quite be what the DD is saying.

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