Teacher inappropriate ? Am I being daft??

[HeadingNorth 11]

there is a huge point here that minors shouldnt be using sites like facebook ....... responsible parents should stop their kids from using it

 

If a child has internet access, there's nothing the parents can do to stop them from finding anything they wish. Parental controls are easily circumvented by anyone who really wants to make the effort.

[dazmitch 10]

you obviously dont know much about setting up a properly restricted firewall then do you.... i agree about parental controls not being the best of tools but a fully restricted firewall means they can not get through

[kittenta 10]

To the op,

 

It is obvious that you have some concerns over this otherwise you wouldn't have posted on here.

 

My advice would be to make an appointment with the head of the school and discuss your concerns with them. You don't need to inform anyone else or confront the girl in question.

 

It's good that teacher wishes to show support to his pupils but to be honest that isn't really the appropriate way to do so.

[Lockjaw 11]

Sorry if this has already been covered but, is everyone sure it is definitely a "note" and not something ripped from an exercise book or report?

[d1sxeyes 10]

I'm a teacher, and I think it's odd. There may well be an innocent explanation for it - and there probably is, but to be honest, I suggest you report it. Even if there is an explanation, the teacher probably needs to be warned that it's open to misinterpretation. You never know though, if there is something dodgy about it, it may be a piece of a jigsaw puzzle somebody up at the school is already trying to put together. I would have a quiet word with the head about it.

[dizzybird77 10]

I'm a teacher, and I think it's odd. There may well be an innocent explanation for it - and there probably is, but to be honest, I suggest you report it. Even if there is an explanation, the teacher probably needs to be warned that it's open to misinterpretation. You never know though, if there is something dodgy about it, it may be a piece of a jigsaw puzzle somebody up at the school is already trying to put together. I would have a quiet word with the head about it.

 

Thanks for this, it's made my mind up for me.

I'll go direct to the school.

[dizzybird77 10]

Sorry if this has already been covered but' date=' is everyone sure it is definitely a "note" and not something ripped from an exercise book or report?[/quote']

 

Definitely a note.

[mj.scuba 10]

I don't think that the issue is whether the girl feels that this is inappropriate, it's whether the adults around the girl feel that it's inappropriate.

 

Teaching is not just about whether the right thing is done, it's also about the right thing being SEEN to be done.

 

Personally I'd have said that it's inappropriate and even if everybody got a note it's something that could be pointed at as crossing a boundary with pupils. Even if it's completely innocent, it leaves the teacher open to criticism or a presumption of their actions being inappropriate and these days teachers have to be seen to be whiter than white.

 

But what grounds are there to even suggest that it was inappropriate?

 

The sad thing is, if a teacher is reprimanded just for this, teachers may be very reluctant to support this girl in the future.

[littlemissy 10]

How do you know that the teacher actually wrote the note? I don't know any self respecting adult that would put 'if destroyed still true' on anything, joke or not.

 

I think you need to be really careful if you go in all guns blazing. You need to be sure because it could've career ending if it escalates out of control and turns out to be a false accusation.

[boyfriday 21]

I'm a teacher, and I think it's odd. There may well be an innocent explanation for it - and there probably is, but to be honest, I suggest you report it. Even if there is an explanation, the teacher probably needs to be warned that it's open to misinterpretation. You never know though, if there is something dodgy about it, it may be a piece of a jigsaw puzzle somebody up at the school is already trying to put together. I would have a quiet word with the head about it.

 

I'm afraid I have to disagree, as far as I can see from the OP the teacher has done nothing wrong, in fact it should be encouraged.

 

Had they been seeking to coerce the child into some illicit dialogue or activity then fair enough. It's complaining about every instance of personal dialogue/contact that takes place between teachers and pupils that creates the environment that we have now, where parents become paranoid and teachers are judged for innocent expressions of support which in turn means everything but the most bland and formal contact is condemned.

[boyfriday 21]

The sad thing is, if a teacher is reprimanded just for this, teachers may be very reluctant to support this girl in the future.

 

Spot on scuba

 

Ps: and other teachers will be wary about supporting other pupils

[bongo_fish 10]

I think its inappropriate for a teacher to be friends with their students on facebook to be honest!

 

Teachers can be sacked if they friends with students unless the students have left school a teacher told me this