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Teachers in 'web bullying' call | |
(1 day later) | |
Scottish teachers have called for action to be taken to stop pupils "cyber bullying" school staff. | Scottish teachers have called for action to be taken to stop pupils "cyber bullying" school staff. |
Some websites encourage pupils to submit anonymous "reviews" of their teachers' performance. | |
The Scottish Secondary Teachers Association said the sites often hosted insulting comments that were left in an attempt to humiliate staff. | |
The union said all material should be monitored to ensure it was suitable before being made available to view. | |
The SSTA also called for video hosting sites like YouTube to crack down on pupils who post footage of teachers that has been filmed in class on mobile phones. | The SSTA also called for video hosting sites like YouTube to crack down on pupils who post footage of teachers that has been filmed in class on mobile phones. |
Huge upset | |
The US-based RateMyTeachers website carries comments about individual, named teachers. | |
Remarks left on the site have included: "I have heard awful rumours about that man" and "he is evil personified". | |
Both YouTube and RateMyTeachers agree to delete material if they receive a complaint, but Ann Ballinger of the SSTA said it was often too late to prevent teachers being embarrassed. | |
Speaking ahead of the union's annual congess which starts on Friday in Aviemore, Mrs Ballinger said: "They can be so destructive. They can damage a teacher's professional life, damage their home life and they can cause huge upset to the teacher and their families." | |
Mr Ballinger cited a recent example when the son of a male teacher read comments on the web questioning his father's sexuality and accusing him of having inappropriate relationships with other members of staff. | |
Now it seems that teachers are acting like children who are easily offended by the gossip of school kids Stuart WaitonGeneration Youth Issues | |
Last month, teachers in England threatened to sue websites that allow pupils to post abuse and humiliating video clips and photographs of them on the internet. | Last month, teachers in England threatened to sue websites that allow pupils to post abuse and humiliating video clips and photographs of them on the internet. |
The Association of Teachers and Lecturers said some of its members had considered leaving the profession because of the extreme distress the sites had caused them. | The Association of Teachers and Lecturers said some of its members had considered leaving the profession because of the extreme distress the sites had caused them. |
But Stuart Waiton, director of child rights organisation Generation Youth Issues, said teachers should learn to develop thick skins. | |
He added: "In the past, teachers would tell children that sticks and stones might break their bones but words will never harm them. | |
"Now it seems that teachers are acting like children who are easily offended by the gossip of school kids. | |
"If teachers are so chronically offended I would suggest they go and get another profession." | |
Posted lies | |
A video circulated among pupils at Hawick High in January showed the school's new headteacher being punched in the face by a teenage boy. | |
Elswehere, footage appeared on YouTube of a pupil pulling down his teacher's trousers in a classroom in Cumbernauld while his friends filmed it on a mobile phone. | |
A female teacher discovered that a photograph of her face had been superimposed on a naked body and circulated on the web. | A female teacher discovered that a photograph of her face had been superimposed on a naked body and circulated on the web. |
Another teacher learned that a female pupil had posted lies about her sex life. | |
Photographs of teachers' cleavage or underwear have also been made available to view on the internet. | Photographs of teachers' cleavage or underwear have also been made available to view on the internet. |
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