Teachers used swearing and poo emojis to criticise vulnerable primary school pupils in a WhatsApp group chat, BBC Scotland News can reveal.
The existence of the chat between staff at Aberdeenshire schools was first revealed last year but the affected pupils' parents were not informed.
The messages have now been obtained by the BBC and show derogatory exchanges about pupils and parents.
From what the past couple of weeks has shown, the recent viral trend of targeting teachers on social media platforms is causing a great deal of concern throughout the UK. It’s clear that from the reports that have been received on the Professionals Online Safety Helpline, professionals are still trying to address the problem with many feeling considerable distress and uncertainty of how to effectively handle the problem.
This guidance from Kent Safeguarding Children Multi-agency Partnership (KSCMP) aims to support managers and safeguarding leads make decisions and have discussions with staff about appropriate online behaviors and professional practice:
If you’re new to teaching, or just new to Facebook, one thing you should definitely do before you step foot in the classroom is check your Facebook privacy settings. Students love to have the inside scoop on their teachers. You can be sure they’ll be checking out your online profiles, as soon as they’ve figured out your first name.
To keep your recent holiday photos private and make sure that the world doesn’t know you listen to Cheryl Cole as you work out, here is some advice for teachers on Facebook:
Want to connect with your students in and out of the classroom? Consider bringing Facebook into your class as a collaborative tool. We all know that most kids, or at least those in the pre-teen and up category, are locked into many forms of social media. Instead of fighting it, why not meet them where they are, and use the benefits of Facebook to communicate and increase involvement?
This guide has been developed for professionals who work with young people to help them understand what constitutes abusive behaviour online, the consequences of that behaviour, and where they can get help. The guide applies to professionals working in England and Wales.
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