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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
VeniVidiWeeWee · 31/03/2021 10:43

@drainrat

There is no such legislation. You misunderstand the point that in the UK everything is permitted UNLESS proscribed by law. But as others have said policy is that it should be encouraged.

BoJoHoNo · 31/03/2021 10:45

Most teachers I know will use an alias on Facebook or just their first name and middle name (no surname) because they don't want pupils and parents looking them up. Sadly it's a sign of the times that someone, somewhere on the internet won't think twice about starting an argument or character assassination based on a political opinion they disagree with. For this reason, I do think the teacher is naive to post such opinions publicly.

That being said, if he's not bringing politics into the classroom, I do think parents should be teaching the children about right to privacy and not snooping on their teachers. I would do some research on the school's SM policy for teachers. If he is breaking them, flag to the headteacher in a constructive manner, eg. suggest the teacher in question changes his profile picture to something less identifiable.

MrsKeats · 31/03/2021 10:47

Not acceptable. What an idiot.
Schools have social media policies.

notdaddycool · 31/03/2021 10:50

What would you do if it was pro-Labour talking about Gammons etc, do that.

Kokeshi123 · 31/03/2021 10:50

He should use a fake name and keep his SM strictly locked down. Flag the school about this.

It is also possible it's fake, as mentioned by PP.

Mugginyouleftrightandcentre · 31/03/2021 10:51

It's not the content per se that is the problem (would you have a problem if he was very left wing and did the whole 'everyone who disagrees with me is a far right bigot' thing that seems to be everywhere at the moment?) but the fact that this stuff is public and easily searchable. It shows bad judgement for starters. I would probably report it.

titchy · 31/03/2021 10:55

Yes just send it to his head teacher and let them decide whether it flouts professional standards.

LaBellina · 31/03/2021 10:57

Teachers are entitled to having a personal life (including social media) and opinions too even if you don’t like them. As long as it’s nothing illegal that’s on his page (for example a history teacher who is a Nazi sympathizer) then I think you should mind your own business. You are not the thought police.
It doesn’t matter if he’s a shit teacher or not.
As long as he doesn’t enforce his views on his pupils it’s absolutely not your business what his personal views are.

Perlea · 31/03/2021 11:00

Blows my mind when people working in the public sector (I assume it's a state school) vote Conservative. Like, nevermind the socialist institution that provides my income,vote for these tossers.

MissyB1 · 31/03/2021 11:16

Firstly tell your D.C. to stop stalking their teachers online, it’s creepy and weird.
Secondly if the teacher is not sharing these thoughts and beliefs with pupils then it’s none of your business.
Oh and if one of the kids has set up a fake account in this teacher’s name then watch out that it isn’t your DC who ends up in a lot of shit.

poppycat10 · 31/03/2021 11:19

He should lock his social media accounts.

But his political views are up to him, assuming he doesn't bring them to school.

"Stalking" teachers on social media isn't creepy or weird - it's what people do. You're going to be shocked but every time I have a meeting with a new person I look them up on LinkedIn. If you don't like that, you don't have a social media account.

Overdueanamechange · 31/03/2021 11:22

I have lots of teacher friends who are very openly left wing and not a single eyelid is batted. I wonder if its a case of you don't agree with his politics, rather than you don't agree with his right to freedom of speech?

B33Fr33 · 31/03/2021 11:26

If it's his I would write an email to him and his line manager to warn him of a disturbing fake account where someone has expressed sexist views and he might want to contact Facebook about getting it removed as teachers obviously have a professional reputation to manage.

MichelleScarn · 31/03/2021 11:27

The dd isn't at fault here. It's just a funny thing to do for kids.
I wonder how 'funny' it will be if it is a incident of fake profile and is treated as a cyber crime. Would it be funny if a fake profile was set up for a fellow pupil with the aim to get them into trouble?

SushiYum · 31/03/2021 11:39

YABU to think he’s a shit teacher based on his political views. We don’t live in a one party state dictatorship. Teachers are told during their training to keep their social media accounts private. Could this be a parody account?

CuthbertDibbleandGrubb · 31/03/2021 11:45

I wonder what would happen if you reported it to Facebook as believing it to be fake? I am not on Facebook so don't know the process.

nitsandwormsdodger · 31/03/2021 11:47

I'd not want my son taught by a man who says that about Harry

With such extreme views I'd wonder how he would cope with a class debate

CounsellorTroi · 31/03/2021 11:49

@Cloudyrainsham

Could it be a fake profile set up by one of the kids to get him in trouble?
Or to test his pupils’ critical thinking skills?
ProfessorSlocombe · 31/03/2021 11:57

Facebooks algorithms make it inevitable that a pupil on FB is going to at some point see a teachers FB profile as "People you may know". No snooping required.

Beyond that, it's always wise to remember that nothing is as it seems on the internet and that anyone can set up any number of accounts in any number of names on any number of social networking platforms if they want to.

There are a few celebrities who have commented they have set up a social media presence to never use in order to prevent it being hijacked by others. There is a good argument that maybe we should all do that. Because if you never use social media and have no use for it, then you also have no idea if anyone has setup an account with your name and/or photo.

The law hasn't quite caught up with the situation where someone sets up a fake profile and just leaves it to run damaging the subjects standing without their being aware.

twelly · 31/03/2021 11:59

A teacher with a social profile on Facebook may or may not be very good - this is irrelevant. We don't vet the views of the teachers who teach our children, we don't live in a police state, we no right to ask what teachers believe for all we know many might have strong political views or religious views or indeed any views we don't agree with. That said the teacher would be well advised to keep his profile hidden if indeed it is his just to stop people looking and passing judgment

tangerinelollipop · 31/03/2021 12:19

Or to test his pupils’ critical thinking skills?

What is this supposed to mean? Do they have good 'critical thinking skills' only if they disagree with his views?

tangerinelollipop · 31/03/2021 12:22

The law hasn't quite caught up with the situation where someone sets up a fake profile and just leaves it to run damaging the subjects standing without their being aware

I agree, more should be done about this. Specially given the 'cancel culture' some seem to enjoy living in.

CounsellorTroi · 31/03/2021 12:25

@tangerinelollipop

Or to test his pupils’ critical thinking skills?

What is this supposed to mean? Do they have good 'critical thinking skills' only if they disagree with his views?

Well they should disagree with most of what he says, if it’s anything like the OP says.

“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.”

Or at least set out cogent arguments in favour of his views.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 31/03/2021 12:38

@CounsellorTroi

"Or at least set out cogent arguments in favour of his views."

I could condemn utterly someone's views but still support their right to hold and express them.

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CandidaDoyle · 31/03/2021 12:48

Back in the day when I was in sixth form, the head of year stood for the Lib Dems in a general election. It did influence all the over 18 students to vote for him - not because they liked him or his policies, but in the desperate hope he would become an MP and would leave the school.

Sadly the plan didn't work.