Page 2 | Would you report this group chat?

Fabulously · 2025-10-08T21:22:10+00:00

My university has a student forum where the module chair shared details of a group chat he created for students to get study support. The group chat is not officially endorsed by the university but has well over 100 students and university staff members included such as tutors. I’ve only been in it a week (haven’t posted anything) - but it gets heated; the module chair sends frequent edgy jokes about politics, disabilities, schools etc. Others join in with more outright inappropriate messages about immigration and benefits & the like, arguing ensues. Earlier today, he got into a full argument with one of the students who started insulting the module chair’s mother in response, module chair responded in kind - basically a bizarre dispute. Would you just exit the chat or also make some attempt to report the unprofessional messages? I feel uncomfortable reporting given staff members are involved, as I wouldn’t want it to impact my studies! But at the same time it makes me look at the university differently, if the staff act like this, like I wouldn’t go to that module chair for help if I had to.

Vegalyra · 09/10/2025 06:18

Fabulously · 09/10/2025 05:21

The chat is referred to as a mathematical help forum (mathematics degree), my understanding from the forum post is that the group chat is supposed to be module technical support although from what I’ve seen the chat is more like a private chat.

The posts in the group chat by the module chair are ranting about their child’s school basically, child having trouble with another child with special needs, how school spending too much time on pandering to them, mentioned diagnoses of that child and suggested parents involved on benefits, discussions on governors involved & how shit they are. Module chair seems quite popular, they were supported in chat & discourse just landed into more outright discriminatory comments. Some student later made reference to the module chair’s mother, massive argument ensued. Think hundreds of messages over the day. I get module chair was offended but he was dragging it on for longer than necessary imo didn’t need to be addressed in this manner.

Personally I’m not disabled nor do I claim benefits so doesn’t offend me, but the chat is weird. I wouldn’t expect this sort of thing from colleagues for example. It reads like daily mail or Facebook comments.

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I understand why you’re uncomfortable, I’d probably just leave the chat in your position.

But, in my experience, universities are not like other workplaces in terms of professionalism. My course was one of the highest ranking in the world and, through some extracurricular work, I got to know some of the staff quite well outside of university. The things I learned about the way the department operated as a workplace were shocking. Petty squabbles, personal dislikes and clashes were very common. They also held grudges and made disparaging comments about each other’s work and research. It was like their emotional maturity and professionalism had stopped developing when they were in their late teens/early twenties. I suppose lots of them had gone on to do PHDs and work in academia without experiencing any other work setting, so were still behaving like students in their forties and fifties.

I’m not saying it’s right, but don’t expect the same professional conduct you find in other workplaces. Just focus on your studies, nothing good will come out of reporting the chat, and it could affect your studies if anyone found out you complained.

ParmaVioletTea · 09/10/2025 06:38

is inappropriate for them to be arguing or agreeing with students in this manner for one simple reason: at the end of the year they will be marking the students exam submissions and I would argue that being in this group could create a bias in their judgement.

Exam and essay marking is anonymous. And tutors are trained to recognise their biases and not allow them to interfere with what they think of a student.

Original poster

Fabulously · 09/10/2025 06:39

Vegalyra · 09/10/2025 06:18

I understand why you’re uncomfortable, I’d probably just leave the chat in your position.

But, in my experience, universities are not like other workplaces in terms of professionalism. My course was one of the highest ranking in the world and, through some extracurricular work, I got to know some of the staff quite well outside of university. The things I learned about the way the department operated as a workplace were shocking. Petty squabbles, personal dislikes and clashes were very common. They also held grudges and made disparaging comments about each other’s work and research. It was like their emotional maturity and professionalism had stopped developing when they were in their late teens/early twenties. I suppose lots of them had gone on to do PHDs and work in academia without experiencing any other work setting, so were still behaving like students in their forties and fifties.

I’m not saying it’s right, but don’t expect the same professional conduct you find in other workplaces. Just focus on your studies, nothing good will come out of reporting the chat, and it could affect your studies if anyone found out you complained.

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Thanks. I probably will just leave it alone especially as I suspect others are better placed to raise concerns like the ones directly involved in the arguments.

I totally understand petty workplaces like you describe, in fact I see aspects of that at my current employer so I’m not blind to that sort of thing. It’s more that the dynamic is weird to me as this is my 2nd degree and staff at my first university were nothing like this. They took a corporate line and kept more personal interactions with students to a minimum.

OP posts:

Original poster

Fabulously · 09/10/2025 06:44

ParmaVioletTea · 09/10/2025 06:38

is inappropriate for them to be arguing or agreeing with students in this manner for one simple reason: at the end of the year they will be marking the students exam submissions and I would argue that being in this group could create a bias in their judgement.

Exam and essay marking is anonymous. And tutors are trained to recognise their biases and not allow them to interfere with what they think of a student.

Essay marking isn’t anonymous at my university. My personal information is on every page of the document, marked by my own tutor, who directly addresses me in their feedback. Exams are marked by someone who isn’t my tutor. But they could still work at the university and be aware of who I am as again, personal information isn’t redacted.

That’s another thing actually - this university & module chair are very big on equality, diversity & inclusion etc. Their views on the chat definitely highlighted that their “kind” persona is a facade.

OP posts:

Neemie · 09/10/2025 06:45

Fabulously · 09/10/2025 05:39

To be honest, I think some individuals here have the wrong idea of what the chat is discussing.

I wouldn’t consider myself “woke”. I’m a civil servant so used to being very bland in comms with others and not bringing my employer into disrepute - I’d get in trouble if I was writing these comments at work to colleagues let alone in comms with service users. But yes happy to admit that I’m not the target demographic of these comments and can easily ignore - I’m not disabled after all and I am economically active so it’s not directed at me or caused offence. I’m more just taken aback by how unprofessional it all is.

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Judging by some of the WhatsApp messages revealed in the press, not everyone in the civil service is as bland in their comms as you. I generally think it is a good thing to know what people are really like. Not always wise for them but useful for the rest of us.

Thedevilhasfinallycaughtupwithhim · 09/10/2025 06:46

I’d leave the chat and leave them to it. They’re all adults.

Bananaandmangosmoothie · 09/10/2025 06:47

thegifttaegieus · 09/10/2025 02:50

“It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies and nosers−out of unorthodoxy.” —George Orwell, 1984

Definitely, be a good member of the Red Guard. Well done for trying to crush anyone having thoughts you disapprove of, words you don't like and feelings you think should be outlawed.

Good for you. Hitler, Pol Pot, Chairman Mao and every single dictator in history from both ends of the spectrum salutes you. Get on there, report it. Nothing will be done about it, sadly, because free speech has not quite been stamped out in the UK.

But you can get all those feelings out at the next two minute hate.

This is such an extreme response. Out of interest, would you have the same view of the person who reported the Metropolitan police WhatsApp chat that included Wayne Couzens making misogynist jokes, or the one in which met police officers were jokingly sharing pictures of the murdered women Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman? Or in your opinion should a private group chat, including one tangentially connected to a workplace, be free to cross any line?

Potatoespotatoesagain · 09/10/2025 06:50

thegifttaegieus · 09/10/2025 02:50

“It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies and nosers−out of unorthodoxy.” —George Orwell, 1984

Definitely, be a good member of the Red Guard. Well done for trying to crush anyone having thoughts you disapprove of, words you don't like and feelings you think should be outlawed.

Good for you. Hitler, Pol Pot, Chairman Mao and every single dictator in history from both ends of the spectrum salutes you. Get on there, report it. Nothing will be done about it, sadly, because free speech has not quite been stamped out in the UK.

But you can get all those feelings out at the next two minute hate.

What a prick
there’s free speech and there’s hate speech

Bumblebee72 · 09/10/2025 06:52

I think my test would be - "Would what is posted be acceptable if it was said in a lecture?". From the snapshot you have given I think it sounds like it wouldn't.

PaisleyGilmourStreet · 09/10/2025 06:52

Opinionated people can be annoying, this guy sounds stressed though. In answer to your question, no, I wouldn't report him. I think there IS an unhealthy culture nowadays that errs towards snitching, and it results in people often being cancelled/punished for frivolous reasons.
The overwhelming majority of us have a good moral compass, so if you're undecided on whether it's report worthy or not the answer is it's not.

Bananaandmangosmoothie · 09/10/2025 07:03

I think I would just mute and archive the chat because you might actually need the maths help at some point.

PurpleChrayn · 09/10/2025 07:03

thegifttaegieus · 09/10/2025 02:50

“It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies and nosers−out of unorthodoxy.” —George Orwell, 1984

Definitely, be a good member of the Red Guard. Well done for trying to crush anyone having thoughts you disapprove of, words you don't like and feelings you think should be outlawed.

Good for you. Hitler, Pol Pot, Chairman Mao and every single dictator in history from both ends of the spectrum salutes you. Get on there, report it. Nothing will be done about it, sadly, because free speech has not quite been stamped out in the UK.

But you can get all those feelings out at the next two minute hate.

My God, settle down 😆

Reporting a group chat doesn’t align her with Hitler and Pol Pot, FFS!

JamDisaster · 09/10/2025 07:04

So the group chat is intended is intended as a support service provided by the uni? In that case I agree it’s inappropriate and just leaving doesn’t address the issue.

MC846 · 09/10/2025 07:12

You could take screenshots of the messages and submit them anonymously. Things can never change if no-one ever speaks up and everyone just looks away. I'd report it.

SingingOcean · 09/10/2025 07:14

Some of the responses here seem to be from people who aren’t aware of the ethical considerations of working in a public organisation. It’s not sufficient to mute the group, or just stay quiet or even just leave.

Personally, I’d leave the group and when it all blows up say I never read any of the messages and wasn’t aware of the nature of the group. It’s cowardly, but that’s my honest response.

NellieElephantine · 09/10/2025 07:15

MC846 · 09/10/2025 07:12

You could take screenshots of the messages and submit them anonymously. Things can never change if no-one ever speaks up and everyone just looks away. I'd report it.

Why anonymously? Have the courage of your conviction courage of your convictions?

NoSoapJustUseShowerGel · 09/10/2025 07:18

Fabulously · 09/10/2025 05:39

To be honest, I think some individuals here have the wrong idea of what the chat is discussing.

I wouldn’t consider myself “woke”. I’m a civil servant so used to being very bland in comms with others and not bringing my employer into disrepute - I’d get in trouble if I was writing these comments at work to colleagues let alone in comms with service users. But yes happy to admit that I’m not the target demographic of these comments and can easily ignore - I’m not disabled after all and I am economically active so it’s not directed at me or caused offence. I’m more just taken aback by how unprofessional it all is.

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But that’s not just the expectation for people who work in the civil service, it’s the same for every company that they expect staff to communicate and behave appropriately and not to bring the organisation into disrepute. This even includes how they behave in their private time outside of work.
I would report your concerns to the university as it’s incredibly unprofessional.

BallerinaRadio · 09/10/2025 07:19

God the responses on here people are so desperate to appear anti-woke and bash a 'snowflake' they've totally lost sight of any sort of common sense.

Comparing to Hitler wtf 😂😂😂

HGSurvivor1 · 09/10/2025 07:21

thegifttaegieus · 09/10/2025 02:50

“It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies and nosers−out of unorthodoxy.” —George Orwell, 1984

Definitely, be a good member of the Red Guard. Well done for trying to crush anyone having thoughts you disapprove of, words you don't like and feelings you think should be outlawed.

Good for you. Hitler, Pol Pot, Chairman Mao and every single dictator in history from both ends of the spectrum salutes you. Get on there, report it. Nothing will be done about it, sadly, because free speech has not quite been stamped out in the UK.

But you can get all those feelings out at the next two minute hate.

Absolute fucking weirdo

CrustyBread1977 · 09/10/2025 07:22

If it was a casual chat, I would just leave the group. As it claims to be about the maths module, I would report it, as “bringing the university into disrepute” is definitely a disciplinary offence and the comments being made by staff appear to fall into that category.

GlastoNinja · 09/10/2025 07:22

You will be able to report anonymously with a link to the chat, they will be limited in what they can do about it in terms of disciplinary action without a reportee to provide evidence but they will be able to do something to address it through line management etc.

Keep clicking through the form and you should find a way of doing it.

Puzzledtoday · 09/10/2025 07:29

It’s annoying that a group set up to support study is so quickly being taken over by other topics and sniping . This is the curse of SM special interest groups. A different format with a moderation team is needed to avoid this. You might suggest this to the uni rather than reporting the existing group.

ThatCyanCat · 09/10/2025 07:33

thegifttaegieus · 09/10/2025 02:50

“It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies and nosers−out of unorthodoxy.” —George Orwell, 1984

Definitely, be a good member of the Red Guard. Well done for trying to crush anyone having thoughts you disapprove of, words you don't like and feelings you think should be outlawed.

Good for you. Hitler, Pol Pot, Chairman Mao and every single dictator in history from both ends of the spectrum salutes you. Get on there, report it. Nothing will be done about it, sadly, because free speech has not quite been stamped out in the UK.

But you can get all those feelings out at the next two minute hate.

Tell me. When you have to crack a nut, do you use a Land Rover? Perhaps with a "women are shit" flag flying from it?

(Take some time off X. That quotation is going insane on there.)

PandoraSocks · 09/10/2025 07:40

thegifttaegieus · 09/10/2025 02:50

“It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies and nosers−out of unorthodoxy.” —George Orwell, 1984

Definitely, be a good member of the Red Guard. Well done for trying to crush anyone having thoughts you disapprove of, words you don't like and feelings you think should be outlawed.

Good for you. Hitler, Pol Pot, Chairman Mao and every single dictator in history from both ends of the spectrum salutes you. Get on there, report it. Nothing will be done about it, sadly, because free speech has not quite been stamped out in the UK.

But you can get all those feelings out at the next two minute hate.

'Like a compass needle that always points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always.'

Khaled Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns'

SuffraJET · 09/10/2025 07:45

Fabulously · 09/10/2025 05:39

To be honest, I think some individuals here have the wrong idea of what the chat is discussing.

I wouldn’t consider myself “woke”. I’m a civil servant so used to being very bland in comms with others and not bringing my employer into disrepute - I’d get in trouble if I was writing these comments at work to colleagues let alone in comms with service users. But yes happy to admit that I’m not the target demographic of these comments and can easily ignore - I’m not disabled after all and I am economically active so it’s not directed at me or caused offence. I’m more just taken aback by how unprofessional it all is.

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Private WhatsApp groups can be considered as evidence in disputes in workplace ( as OU found out) . Leave it if only to protect yourself getting embroiled.
It's not ethical at all , these members of staff are in positions of power and influence. It does not seem collegial or respectful of others views.