There have been renewed calls for pupils who insult staff on the internet to be expelled, after a girls' school was hit by a Facebook bullying scandal.
30 pupils at Grey Coat Hospital School were suspended after signing up to a 'Hate Society' group on Facebook which criticised a teacher.
No defence
"In cyberspace, hundreds of people can laugh at a teacher or child's humiliation," Mary Bousted, the general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers told The Daily Telegraph.
"Some of these incidents can be really, really nasty. Young girls, in particular, can be very malicious.
"Teachers attacked in this way have no chance to defend themselves. Their professional and personal reputation can be left in tatters."
Teachers have always been there to be shot at, but the days of the note passed around are over with the likes of Facebook taking on the mantle of the social grudge.
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willow19790
January 30th 2009
2. Yes i agree with the above i was a pupil at the school a good few years back and was bullied by this teacher she made my life a misery......she should of been fired along time ago..i actually was shocked to hear she is still teaching!!...i support the girls freedom of speech and their rights to their opinions. the school should of thought along time ago about protecting its pupils rather than one callous bully of a teacher who abused her position of trust. As to her receiving counselling welcome to the club...ive spent years in counselling dealing with issues some of which were caused directly by her...Karma...what goes around comes around people are not always what they seem.
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j2o
January 15th 2009
1. I happen to know that the teacher involved was an outrageous bully, and so I do not support this action.
Furthermore, the worst comments of the girls were so mediocre the school cannot pubish them for fear of losing support.
It is my personal opinion that the teacher should be fired.
And this was, I believe, a private facebook group, not intended for the teacher in question to see. Facebook is the modern girl's diary and what you are allowed to write whatever you want in your diary and share it with friends.
I am seeing very little critical thought amongst comments, a lot of emotion, a lot of one-sideness.
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