SOCIAL media: curse or blessing? Certainly, it can be a curse to be on the receiving end, where teachers increasingly find themselves. A poll of more than 1,000 secondary teachers found one in seven had been attacked by parents online. In addition, many felt unsupported by schools or local authorities, with more than a third unaware of any social media policy that might help them challenge the culprits.
These days, from local store managers to football team coaches, anyone in a position of authority dealing with the public can find themselves open to challenge online. When it comes to some people’s offspring, this can turn vehement.
But, however à la mode that might be, mendacious gossip and certainly threats of assault are never acceptable from anyone. Abuse and insult should never come with the territory in any occupation.
Later this year, the General Teaching Council for Scotland will update its guidance on teachers’ use of social media. But how to deal with parents’ use of social media is a more complicated matter. Social media is a free world, where policing is largely self-imposed, and not always with great rigour.
The answer, ironically, might lie in communication. Schools or local authorities can issue specific guidelines to parents, advising them of the harmful consequences that wanton invective can have and urging them to use official channels where there is genuine grievance.
Where a complaint has been posted online, the poster should be invited to discuss the matter, though where threats or serious accusations have been issued, the possibility of police or legal action should be made clear. No one wants matters to go that far, nor even perhaps to expect parents to refrain from discussing the school on social media.
But surely it would not be too harsh a guideline to expect this to be done responsibly. Some teachers, indeed, have said social media can be a positive influence, fostering communal identity and keeping parents informed of events. At least we can count that a blessing.
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