Teachers demand police investigate Menzieshill High School pupils' abusive Facebook page
Pupils at a Dundee school have made abusive and sexual comments about their teachers on a Facebook page, even calling one a paedophile.
- By Grant Smith, education reporter
- Published in the Courier : 21.02.12
- Published online : 21.02.12 @ 11.34am
The page has now been taken down, but police are investigating.
A source said the incident at Menzieshill High School had led to "heated exchanges" between teachers and senior staff at an emergency meeting.
A spokesman for the city council's education department said pupils at the school would be warned about their future use of sites such as Facebook.
Menzieshill High, in Yarrow Terrace, has more than 600 pupils drawn mostly from the Menzieshill and Charleston areas of the city.
The source said: "An emergency staff meeting was called at the end of the school day on Friday after pupils were discovered to have set up a Facebook page to make comments, some of a sexual nature, about 20 members of the school's staff.
"Earlier in the day an email was sent to all staff by the head teacher, Helen Gray, stating that it was an 'unfortunate part of our job'. Staff attended a union meeting in the school at lunchtime as the majority were not satisfied with the lack of action taken by the head teacher.
"Staff were concerned that the three male pupils involved in moderating the Facebook page had received no punishment for allowing the comments to be displayed, one of which referred to male member of staff as a paedophile.
"Trade union representatives within the school requested a meeting to be held at the end of the school day on Friday. During the meeting heated exchanges took place between staff and members of the school's management team. The result was an eleventh-hour agreement by the head teacher to report the matter to Tayside Police."
Complaints were also made to Facebook, which deactivated the page.
Although the page is no longer available, it is understood one user had commented: "Just a warning, this will end up getting spotted by the staff and you could get dragged in if your (sic) slagging the teachers. Teachers have Facebook too."
The education department spokesman said: "The page has now been removed from Facebook and pupils have been spoken to about the situation. The school will also be reminding young people of the potential problems which can emerge through the use of social media sites."
A Tayside Police spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the incident and will be looking into it."
There have been several instances recently of pupils getting into trouble by posting comments on Facebook or similar websites about school staff. Police were called in earlier this month to investigate a page set up by pupils of Mearns Castle High in Glasgow that made abusive comments about staff, including an allegation one was a paedophile.
In January, three Fife teenagers were each sentenced to a six-month community payback order after admitting making offensive and racist comments about a mixed-race teacher at Inverkeithing High.
Sheriff Ian Dunbar told them their actions "very clearly showed the dangers of Facebook" and added: "If you post something it can go public even if you don't intend it to do that."
Teachers can also find themselves in trouble through misuse of social networking websites. The SSTA union, which represents 9,000 secondary school teachers, warned in January that it was worried its members might have inappropriate contact with children or make comments about pupils, colleagues or their employer that could result in disciplinary action.
Two months ago the General Teaching Council for Scotland reprimanded a teacher over personal material he placed on a website.
12.27pm - 21.02.2012 James - Dundee, Scotland Report This
charge those precious little darlings in court...pathetic that teachers have to endure this abuse. If it was the other way around, the world world and his dog would be baying for blood. These vermin have no respect.
03.56pm - 21.02.2012 TheLamb - Angus, Angus Report This
They should be severly punished and made to see the serious nature of their actions, calling a teacher a paedophile may seem funny to sick minded kids but mud can sometime stick!!!
06.30pm - 21.02.2012 Sickened - Broughty Ferry, Scotland Report This
I'm appalled that the Head Teacher did not immediately treat this with the severity it merits. It's disgusting that allegations can be made, whether in jest or not, which could ruin teachers' lives and careers. I hope those responsible are pursued through the Civil Courts for Defamation.
08.15pm - 21.02.2012 FiTay - Dundee, UK Report This
They should be charged with libel and sentenced accordingly if found guilty; same as any of the rest of us would. If SNP want these kids to have a vote they should be treated as adults, not just 'grounded' for a couple of days and their gadgets taken from them! They are ruining good teachers' lives.
07.55am - 22.02.2012 Chris - Dundee, UK Report This
Sue the parents.
08.42am - 22.02.2012 E.A.M - Dundee, Angus Report This
Start making people responsible for their own actions. The pupils should be made face the consequences. Teachers have a hard enough job these days, without these social networks adding to their problems.
09.53am - 22.02.2012 Thornindaside - perth, scotland Report This
Calling them vermin is a bit much.Had any of mine done such a thing,I'd have let rip and told them in no uncertain terms as to why it is wrong.Sure they would have hated me for a few hours but rather that than having them growing up nochalant about making unfounded allegations out of infantile spite
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