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he education sector is alive to the benefits of social media, and many schools, further education and higher education providers now have their own blogs, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts. These are used to disseminate information to students, parents and staff, and
as a means of providing additional learning support to students outside of the traditional learning environment. But, while social media can be a powerful tool for sharing
information and engaging with students, its increasing predominance (both inside and outside of educational institutions) raises issues regarding acceptable use by staff and students, safeguarding of young people and relationship boundaries.
POST FIRST, THINK LATER? In 2011, more than 40 teachers nationally were referred to the General Teaching Council for unprofessional conduct related to the inappropriate use of social media sites. Examples include: • a teacher suspended as a result of holiday photos on her public Facebook page that were accessed by pupils
• a teacher who posted pictures of herself apparently smoking an illegal substance
• teachers who have been dismissed for inappropriate social media correspondence with students. Risky online behaviour is not uncommon, often because it
is perceived to be conduct that falls outside the workplace or the classroom. A joint survey by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers
and the Teacherd Support Network revealed that nearly a quarter of education staff had been told by their employer (or a colleague) to remove something from their social networking profiles or accounts. This suggests that there is lack of awareness of the potential impact of online behaviour. Some of the risks include: damage to professional integrity; bringing an educational provider into disrepute, and unlawful harassment of staff or students. Managing the risks is not just a question of implementing
HR policies and procedures; the issues are equally relevant to student online behaviour. Outside of the classroom, the traditional balance of power between teachers and students can be difficult to maintain, and teachers have found themselves victims of ‘cyber-bullying’ by students, with hate sites, digitally manipulated images and impersonation accounts becoming increasingly common problems. Additionally, students can jeopardise their own safety or career
“A clear complaints procedure for students and staff regarding online conduct is essential, as is ensuring that social media policies effectively cross-refer to IT usage, anti-bullying and harassment, and disciplinary policies for students and staff”
prospects through risky or inappropriate online behaviour. It is important they understand these risks.
IS YOUR ORGANISATION PROTECTED FROM THE RISKS? Education institutions need to ensure that there are clear and well-publicised social media policies in place for staff and students, which document what is and what is not considered acceptable in terms of online behaviour. Clearly, behaviour such as bullying, making offensive comments and spreading lies or rumours should be prohibited. Consideration should also be given to the extent to which online relations outside the teaching environment are permitted between students and staff. Your policies should make it clear that conduct does not have to take place within the workplace or classroom to be considered unacceptable. A clear complaints procedure for students and staff
regarding online conduct is essential, as is ensuring that social media policies effectively cross refer to IT usage, anti-bullying and harassment, and disciplinary policies for students and staff. Training staff and students on online behaviour, in terms
of acceptable online etiquette, personal safety, professional integrity and career risks, harassment and discrimination, is also highly recommended.
EDUCATING YOUR STUDENTS In a society where there is increasing tendency among young people to ‘overshare’ through technology, education providers have a pivotal role in helping students set boundaries and realising the implications of their digital footprint. The cautionary tale of Paris Brown, the UK’s first youth police commissioner who resigned in April over tweets posted a number of years ago, clearly emphasises the dangers. School-wide awareness campaigns will help to educate students of the risks to safety and potentially future career prospects. In the last year, reports have continued of teachers and
students being subjected to cyber-bulling by students. Education legislation allows headteachers to regulate off-site behaviour “to such an extent as is reasonable”, which is of significance to cyber-bullying, as it frequently takes place outside of the school environment. There is also the ability under education laws to confiscate mobile technology where it is used to cause a disturbance in school time or where its use is in breach of school policies. Ultimately, there are criminal laws that can apply to
harassment/threatening behaviour online, however these sanctions are likely to be limited to the most extreme cases of online bullying and harassment and they do not address any underlying problems within the school community. It is a case of prevention being better than the cure, and there is no substitute for a clearly drafted school behaviour policy which educates students about what constitutes cyber-bullying, and that it is never acceptable.
Jo Tindall is a director specialising in employment and HR within the education team at law firm Walker Morris
www.edexec.co.uk / september 2013
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