to think that it's inappropriate for teaching staff to be updating their facebook status while at school?

[ATimeAndAPlace]

I have a friend who teaches at my child's school who is also on my friends list on facebook.

Recently I have noticed several status updates from her which have clearly been made during the school day, while she should be teaching children. And they're not positive updates, things like "just so fed up, wish it was the end of the day already," and "have had enough now, roll on the weekend, can't wait to get home."

While I'm fully aware that this woman has the right to update her facebook if she's having a bad day at work, she has several parents on her friend list, and I don't think it's appropriate that she is essentially slagging off her job in front of the parents of the children she is teaching.

I have casually said to her that maybe she should be careful what she writes and when, (these posts aren't made during break or lunch times judging by the times of some of them,) and she has just laughed it off.

But I am A not happy that a teacher is spending their time on facebook when they should be teaching my child, or facebooking about how much they dislike their job, which is teaching my child.

I adore my job ( am a teacher) but always look forward to the weekends. Infact I said to my tutor group this morning one more get up until the weekend,

The local authority I work for would discipline her if they found out. We have been told we cannot use FB during work hours at all and if we post anything at any time which relates to school it will be considered a disciplinary matter.

I think it would be unreasonable to report the teacher, and if updating FB allows her to "let off steam" in a way which takes only seconds, rather than be moody or 'cross' in school, it seems a better option than not using FB.

Personally I don't feel the need to use FB, and can see understandable concerns about any member of staff allowing pupils or parents to be 'friends'.

However, for privacy and maintaining a professional attitude, while being able to "let one's hair down" it doesn't seem that difficult to me for a member of staff to have TWO FaceBook accounts, if necessary used from two different web browsers

1. a public (professional) profile where they would allow parents (and perhaps pupils - will have to ask my ex-head sister for her views!), so there could be snippets about school events, congratulations when a school sports team does well in local league (or individual does well in county competition)

2. a private (friends) profile, for the 'hung over, great party yesterday night' and 'urrrghhh, glad to be going home in an hour!' comments.

(and set up their mobile phone to use their private aka "friends-only" account).

Would that be a suitable / valid / avoid spilling the beans/sack possible solution?

I think it is unreasonable for her to be doing this (am a teacher) but I wouldn't report her. Then again, I can't see the point of Facebook at all tbh.

I have 2 of the TA's (and a TA's daughter) on my FB friends list. But it's a a wierd situation as they have children the same age as some of my children and we met outside of their work and became friends outside of work before they were my DS's TA's. And there are lots of the teachers that have parents as friends because of the same thing.

Actually one of the TA's is DS3's Godmother (he's not yet at school though).

YANBU

Janeite- your name is incorrect

Just sounds very unprofessional to have parents of kids you teach as your fb friends and I really don't get why an adult would be adding primary age kids. Very inappropriate. Having said all that, I wouldn't report her. I suspect it is done on her phone and literally takes seconds. You have to be careful what you post on facebook. You forget it is not your private space to vent your feelings and that people read it. I know I have put things on there before and then wished I hadn't said anything.

Why thank you EachPeach - but it has a certain ring to it, non?

Our county's network has blocked it.
And we've recently had staff training on the perils and pitfalls of using it at all.

Like it or not, teachers have a duty to be seen as professional, and updating status during what is perceived to be (if not actually the case) teaching time is just stupid. And it's very easy to forget what you're saying sometimes and leave yourself open to problems. There have been cases of teachers being suspended for their FB posts.

YANBU

She sounds a little immature.

If you are a good enough friend I would (strongly) say something to her along the lines of 'other parents are not happy about you doing this...just to let you know'. It would be awful if she got into trouble for something so petty.

I am a teacher, with facebook, and do sometimes update my status during the school day

To be honest, when you spend every evening til 11pm planning/marking etc, its a bit of light relief to spend 5 mins on facebook if I have a free. I very rarely use my "breaks" as break time- I dont get a lunch break (I teach a practical subject so constantly setting up/clearing up etc) so tbh, I couldnt really care less if people moaned at me for spending 5 mins on facebook! Im a teacher, Im not God!

I definatly wouldnt have any parents, students etc as friends on my facebook though. No way. I do occasionally moan about the school but only very very close friends of mine can see my status updates.

I can see for some teachers that there is the need for some downtime during the day. For me at the moment in the midst of coursework and tracking my sole bit of down time is the 10 minutes between the end of lessons and the start of after school meetings, clubs, sessions or my marking time. When I get home I am faced by my own child who wants attention and then once she is in bed I am at my desk again.

When I am working in the evening I tend to flick between my work, here and facebook. I wouln't use facebook or any personal internet use during the day though, it does send the wrong message and IMO opinion looks unprofessional.

But then again I am supposed to be working now and am on here.

I do think teachers are only just realising the pitfalls of facebook, I use it but have my settings high and keep photos private. I also hopefully don't post anything controversial.

I've never tried to get onto Facebook at school, I assume it's blocked.

But presumably she's allowed a lunch break like anyone else?

I have a Facebook account but it's not under my real name and even if anyone from school found me I wouldn't add them as a friend.

Morosky "But then again I am supposed to be working now and am on here."

At 21:24, I'm saddened that teachers are often still working, especially considering the flak that goes their way over "long holidays".

golgi - I guess that unlike so many other people, most teachers recognise that their behaviour (esp wrt what might be made public) is more likely to be (badly) judged - clearly it is here - whether because of the time of an update or the content.

Seems like walking on very thin ice, when so many others might be abusing work machines to access the internet (yes, even to access MN might be taken as 'abuse' if there is limited flexibility or no clear guidelines).

Unfortunately so many (perhaps the under-30s more than over-30s?) seem to expect internet access and e-mail "as a right" at work, and it will gradually become a greater expectation, as the bulk of secondary pupils and students in higher ed take it for granted that FB, Twitter, MySpace, e-mail, and whatever next comes into popularity, is there for them to use, and no apparent boundaries exist between doing work and wasting time on FB.

I'm going to want staff at some point in the future, but would go on a commission-only basis, so those who want to spend hours on FB etc can do so, while those working will get to earn the cash... It's something younger people might need to learn - there's already a degree of unfairness if smokers 'demand' a break and can skive off for a few minutes every hour or two, while non-smokers don't get any 'free' time to compensate...

I would not wish to ban internet access, but would make clear than frittering away time doing 'personal' things just means the person 'fritters' chances to be earning as well. Soon teach 'em, I think!

Pretty much the first thing we were told when we started PGCE was do NOT under any circumstances add children or parents to your facebook account. I made my completely private as well.

I wouldn't dream of it. Nor would I dream of going on facebook at work. I assume it's banned, I've never tried.

That's not to say I think this teacher has done a terrible thing, just rather a naive thing.

I think it is inappropriate for a teacher to have parents of students as facebook friends, in fact there are guidelines to say they should not do so

This is incredibly unprofessional. I would be cross too. Perhaps you should have a word via email/message and warn her that more people may see her updates than she realises. In other words, shut up.

I think DS's school have either blocked it or warned against it's use during school time. I know one teacher is being 'watched' due to pupils telling their parents that she is on FB a lot during the day or on her phone. (Funnily enough she was DS's teacher last year and this year we discover he is 'under-achieving'!)

It is all a bit strange here in Budapest. The school is quite small as is the ex-pat community so everyone knows everyone else. Lots of people have teachers or ex teachers as friends on FB. I have one of the admin staff as a friend on mine and she was always saying things like 'roll on Friday" or something similar. In week 2 of this year DS's current teacher agreed with her. I just made a jokey comment back!

I would imagine in UK that there would be more 'distance' between school and home life.

"I would imagine in UK that there would be more 'distance' between school and home life."

I think that's true in most circumstances - I guess my (and other parents) situation with our school/church combination is slightly unique. We don't live in a huge town - but have no idea if it's all as "cosy" at the other schools

Hi always! I have no experience of schools in UK other than what I read on here really. I suppose in some areas it will be cosy and in others it won't. Ours is very strange I think. We are having issues with DS at the moment and I need to meet with the head of KS2 who phoned me this morning and we had a long chat about his new baby etc and a general gossip as I know him fairly well from last year. And now on Tuesday when we meet I need to be a bit tough and distant. It's hard!

OP YANBU and you were right to approach her about it in the way that you did. She is exposing herself to all kinds of potentially very difficult situations.

If the Governors had their way at school I expect they would prefer us not have FB accounts at all. We certainly can't access it on the school network and to use a phone as an alternative to post messages during the school day is just sneaky - it's clear that this is something her employers would not want her to do. Our staff code of conduct makes specific reference to social networking sites and the dangers of having students as "friends". Tbh I think it just makes the teacher look really needy and a bit pathetic in trying to make themselves more popular with the students.

I'm on mat leave - when I return I shall miss the company and debate on MN in the daytime but I would also like to think I'll be too busy working to consider coming on here, and in those moments when I can take a break I would want to spend that time connecting with my colleagues in the real world staffroom

Hmm so its OK for everyone else to do it at work and not teachers? YABVVU
are teachers supposed to be some higher level of being?

she is silly to do it when ppl can see it tho