Apology as pre-requisite for "only" a written warning ?

[Tommy]

Hi all - I hope someone can help here - I am in a bit a of a state. I work in a school and am currently under investigation for a disciplinary issue. Short story is that is a church school and I made some derogatory comments about a church leader on a closed Facebook group and someone printed the conversation out and sent it to him......
I am genuinely embarrassed that he has read the comments as they obviously weren't for public viewing but the investigation and discipline process doesn't seem fair to me. The head teacher has appointed his deputy as the investigator who has written his report and recommended that, if I write a letter of apology to said church leader, I will "only" get a written warning. If I don't, it could be more serious.
Can they force me to apologise with this which feels like, a threat?
Genuinely confused and extremely upset as I really love my job but this is making me miserable....

Thanks blanche

I expect the laws around social media and online communications are constantly evolving.

All the more reason to play it safe, stay off Fakebook particularly as regards work, and refrain from putting stuff on a website that people could take issue with. It isn't that difficult or complicated.

The rule is: don't put anything in an email or on social media that you would not put in a poster on your workplace wall/tell your grandmother!

Agree fully with purple regarding being cautious with social media.

I work in a different industry but as standard at my current & previous employers we have reputations risk built into our contracts. So if I do anything that "could" embarrass my employer, including social media posts I could lose my job.

A number of my friends are teachers at public schools over three councils. All are "encouraged" not to use social media or if they do to have high privacy settings/fake names and be wary of what is posted by them & about them as it could be used in a disciplinary.

I think a verbal warning is a very reasonable outcome