Teachers shouldn't post controversial thoughts publicly (Hamas related)

[ermno3]

In light of the war a teacher I have on social media has been quite vocal about their thoughts/feelings (fine). However, they are now on a public platform stating they don't believe Hamas are terrorists, rather a resistance who's actions are justified.

AIBU to think they shouldn't be airing these thoughts so publicly in light of their profession?

@wheatsheaf8 Then that is what should be complained about. Teachers should be allowed a life outside of the classroom, even if it's holding beliefs that not many would support or agree with. Voicing them inside the classroom is different though!

A group called themselves The Torys the other day for a quiz name. I didn't even raise an eyebrow.
I love overhearing their opinions when talking to each other.

Yes, but life outside work does not need to be broadcast to everyone on social media. Discretion should be considered in any such posts. Limit the audience.

I would rather have my kids taught by teachers who have views and opinions than people who are forced to obey what the government says because they are in bed with the bullies with big guns and money.

Does this just apply to teachers? Any other professions? What about TAs? School receptionists? Catering staff? Lunchtime supervisors? Caretakers? School counsellors? Speech and Language therapists? School nurses?

All these people have interactions with children too.

There will be a social media use policy - assuming they are employed at a school/college. They will be held to account by this.

Dependent on material shared there may also be a risk under safeguarding.

You don't seem to understand that Hamas is not Palestine.

Who were the bullies with big guns when an elderly holocaust survivor was pulled from her shelter and shot in the head? When youngsters at a pro-peace music festival were sprayed with bullets and/or raped?

Supporting genocide is not a mainstream view or opinion.

I feel it applies to all professions. I’m not a teacher but I wouldn’t post my own views on such matters, so that anyone can read it

Yes, any of these people should expect work consequences for supporting terrorism.

I agree op - I'm a civil servant where doing this would get you sacked. I think any professional that uses their real name on social media or is able to be outed should keep politics to themselves.

I think anyone could expect consequences from a work employer for posting anything supporting terrorism or alternative views.

There are lots of professions where you should be careful about what you put on SM and teaching is one of them .

@SylvanianFrenemies I am praying for you 🙏 with being ok with babies, children and women being blown up into pieces and watching every war crime being committed. I am praying that the emptiness and blindness
In your soul will be filled with humanity.

It is possible to hold the view that both Hsmas and the IDF are behaving appallingly. Do you realise that? Do you see that it is ok to feel revulsion both for massacaring Israelis and for massacaring Palestinians?

Secretary of State for Education did write to all schools and made it explicit that teachers need to be impartial and also their stance on Hamas which is a terrorist organisation.
If kids are not aware of what the teacher has posted and they are not inciting anything I think their view is fine, personally wouldn’t agree with it but freedom of expression. If kids can see it then it’s an issue.

Does this apply to anything posted on SM?

Actually you can still be in trouble if comments made in a personal sm if account is not private.

Personally, as a professional, I feel if you post things on social media with an identifiable name, you could be risking your job. Unless your posts are only accessible by friends and family who you trust not to grass you up.

@SylvanianFrenemies yes of course but Israel mostly at this stage for using disproportionate force on civilians but the problem is the narrative being shown is that the civilians are also Hamas so they are allowed to break any war rules and commit massacres. No child should die and lose parents on any side whether you are Israeli or Palestinian. Every life is worth the same.

Back to the thread, A lot of teachers I know have all changed their names so they aren't easily tracked down by students. For instance they will change the spelling of their names and surnames and use a profile pictures that aren't identified and profiles are private. Anything they post shouldn't be used against them in my opinion unless it's safeguarding issues.

These times are dangerous times and remember the covid times and the anti Vaxers particularly in the NHS and look how things have changed and turned out in the end.

But that isn't what you were saying. You were condescendingly praying for me because I had the audacity to talk about atrocities committed by Hamas on a thread about someone supporting Hamas, and you wildly projected and assumed I don't have equal compassion for Palestinian victims. If the thread was about someone supporting IDF war crimes that is what I'd have talked about. I wonder if you really think every life is worth the same if you think I have an empty soul because I openly care about Israeli citizens who were massacred in the most grotesque way.
I'll take your huge backpedal as an apology - accepted.

I would prefer it if those who held extreme views were encouraged to make them public. Then we can make informed decisions about their suitability for teaching our children.

It applies to anyone who works in the education system, if they identify their place of work.

As indeed it does to anyone who identifies their employer online.

I'm in Australia and though retired, namechange if I say something that might identify my workplace or anyone in it as I could lose my registration.

The difficulty might be in defining controversial.

In the 1860s the theory of Evolution was controversial
In the 1910s votes for women was controversial.
In the 1920s and 1930 Mahatma Gandhi was seen by many as a terrorist.
Meanwhile, In the 1930s Hitler's rise to power and his despicable treatment of the Jews was not universally condemned in the UK.
In the 1970s birth control was controversial.
In the 1980s gay rights was controversial.
In the 1980s Thatcher described the ANC as a typical terrorist organisation. Would it have been controversial to have supported the terrorist leader Nelson Mandela?
If we were American, then abortion would be controversial.
Trans rights vs women's rights is currently controversial in the UK.

The classroom should not be used for proselytising but teachers should be allowed to discuss and publish their views outside of working hours. However in this overly surveilled world a teacher with widely published controversial views might find it difficult to find work. That is often one of the costs of speaking out.

That's extremely naive. There was even one teacher on here, bragging they berated anybody who voted Brexit. Are you telling me that bias doesn't find its way into classrooms?