Teacher posted 38 Twitter messages a day about pupils

Published on Thursday 21 May 2009 21:35

A TEACHER is being investigated by her employers after she updated a social networking website with up to 38 messages a day discussing her pupils.

The secondary teacher in Argyll and Bute was using the Twitter site on average 20 times a day.

Council bosses are now investigating whether she put sensitive information on public display and whether it was during work hours.

In more than one entry, the teacher, who has not been named, is less than flattering about the school.

A parent said: "I know at least half the children she is commenting on. I am outraged that she describes children as hard work.

"She is paid a lot of money to do her job and it is unbelievable that she is sitting talking about them on a computer rather than teaching."

Twitter has become the latest social networking phenomenon. Users can update "followers" of their movements using their mobile phone rather than logging on to a computer.

Gordon Chalmers, Oban South and the Isles councillor, said: "I am outraged that a council employee is using council time and reporting on council business on the web. I do not pay my council tax so that staff can waste time on these sites. People should be spending time with real people rather than with cyber friends."

A council spokeswoman said social networking sites were already blocked in all schools and had been for sometime.

She added the teacher was not facing disciplinary action, but admitted council is investigating the matter. Teachers backed the local authority's action.

A spokesman for Scotland's biggest teaching union, said:

"The best advice for teaching professionals is to use such sites with great caution, if at all, and to be fully aware of any local authority or school policies on the use of such sites."