Teacher disciplined for posting sectarian images on Facebook

A TEACHER who used Facebook to criticise his own school and another who posted sectarian images online are among those who have been disciplined by Scotland’s councils for misusing social networking websites.

Angus Council said one of its staff had received a final written warning after making “derogatory comments” about his school, while education bosses in Inverclyde issued a verbal warning after a teacher posted sectarian images on Facebook.

The two cases are among seven uncovered by The Scotsman after the profession’s regulatory body, the General Teaching Council for Scotland, warned teachers over the use of Facebook and Twitter.

Guidance issued by the GTCS last month warned that Facebook and Twitter were “blurring the professional boundary” between teacher and pupil.

Details obtained using Freedom of Information laws show a number of councils across Scotland have disciplined teachers over the past year for misuse of social networking websites.

While many of Scotland’s local authorities, including Edinburgh, Glasgow and Highland, had no recorded cases, two teachers in Fife were disciplined, with one receiving a warning and the other a final written warning.

Moray Council said it had dealt with three cases of “inappropriate use” of Facebook within the past year, but said details of the individuals concerned were confidential.

Details of the cases emerged after the GTCS said teachers needed to keep their private lives and their careers separate.

Anthony Finn, the GTCS chief executive, said: “Social media and electronic communication open up a wide range of new and innovative ways for us all to communicate with greater efficiency and enjoyment. However, there are also risks associated with using social media. These have been widely documented elsewhere and are particularly important for teachers and other caring professionals.”

He said the new professional guidance had been issued not to “nanny” teachers but to advise them on the “potential pitfalls” of social networking websites.

The GTCS guidance urges teachers not to accept “friend” requests on Facebook from students and points out that the profession can be vulnerable to “unintended misuses” of e-mail, texting and social media.

It warns teachers to take particular care to protect their mobile phones, smartphones and computers from misuse while in school, following cases in which teachers were struck off or investigated over improper use of the internet.

Tory education spokeswoman Liz Smith said: “Teachers have to be extremely careful and professional about how they use Facebook because it’s too easy for problems to arise. It’s sensible for the GTCS to make teachers very aware of what can go wrong.”

Last year it emerged that some of Scotland’s universities are actively monitoring Facebook and Twitter to catch students posting comments critical of lecturers and coursemates.