PARENTS who use social media to spread “gossip” and “spurious allegations” are damaging their children’s education, headteachers have warned.
The Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland (AHDS) said such behaviour made it more difficult to give families a greater say in the running of schools.
The comments came in a written submission to a Scottish Government consultation on changes to the way schools are run.
Read more: Equity pupil fund unveiled to help close attainment gap between rich and poor
Ministers want to give more power to headteachers, but have also made it a priority to develop greater engagement with parents.
Greg Dempster, general secretary of the AHDS, stressed parental engagement was of “high value and importance” to the union, but said the issue was complex.
The AHDS submission states: “Most schools work hard to engage with parents, but still encounter significant barriers which include the fact not all parents wish to be involved.
“Further, while parental engagement is important, the ultimate decision-making should lie with the school senior management team supported by local authorities.
“Engagement with parents’ own mental health issues, spurious accusations, false statements, inaccurate information, gossip and the use of social media, complaining about other children’s additional support needs and so on, can detract from what school leaders as professionals know to be in the best interests of the children in their care.”
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However, Eileen Prior, executive director of the Scottish Parent Teacher Council, said co-operation between parents and schools was much more common.
She said: “It’s very unfortunate various extremely negative characteristics that apply across the population are assigned to parents in this response.
“Anyone who works with the public will recognise and understand that ill-health and difficult behaviour is simply part of the job and school staff cannot expect to be immune to that.
“Parents are the primary carers and educators of their children, a role that public services are there to support.”
AHDS went on to warn that the reforms would not improve standards unless cuts to education budgets were reversed.
The submission states: “A reallocation of responsibilities or a change to structures will not achieve the government’s ambitions for the system.
“These changes would be no substitute for the necessary increase in resources, including staffing, that Scottish education requires.”
The union said budget cuts had led to a lack of teaching, administrative and support staff and dwindling support from council education departments.
They also highlighted a lack of resources to implement the policy of inclusion, where pupils with additional support needs are taught in mainstream schools.
Read more: Equity pupil fund unveiled to help close attainment gap between rich and poor
In a separate submission, School Leaders Scotland (SLS), which represents secondary heads, said the current council-run system had created a “risk averse mindset” driven by “rigidity and fragmentation”.
SLS went on to attack schools quango Education Scotland saying: “We have issues over the strategic vision, we question the capability to deliver effectively... there is constant message and material overload generated.”
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