Using facebook

[MrPstv]

Can a member of staff be reprimanded for using facebook out of school hours using a home computer but comments on how they cant stand working in the school ?

[creese]

Depends what they are saying about the school.

[Pete10141748]

It might depend on exactly what they wrote.

 

If it was something like "I can't stand working at (school name) because (name/s of staff) is a (insert insult)" then certainly something can be done, even if it's just wrist-slapping, because it can be taken as libel I think.

 

If it was just general "I hate my job / working with kids / writing lesson plans" sort of comments then I doubt there's much you can do.

[alan-d]

As creese says it depends on what is said and who is able to read it. Are the comments slanderous, libelous or could be seen to put the workplace in a bad light in a way that it could affect future business? The list goes on and there are a lot of grey areas. Each case should be judged individually.

[apoth0r]

Yes seems to be the current trend, and why people still do it I have no idea :/

[MrPstv]

Lets just say for arguments sake that it was said "the job is s###"

[Pete10141748]

If there is no school name mentioned, no-one insulted and no further reasoning as to why "they job is s###" then I highly doubt anything can be made of it.

[creese]

Lets just say for arguments sake that it was said "the job is s###"

 

If he/she/school can be recognised and associated to a particular job, then frankly they deserve a reprimand for not being professional, at the very least.

 

Why announce your life to the world and then complain when someone doesn't like it?

[bossman]

Unfortunately this is the way of the world, as people want more and more freedom they are in actual fact getting less and less by promoting themselves on these social networks to which they have no idea of the negative implications which can and often do come back to bite them hard.

 

All our members of staff have been advised not to use any of these social networks for fear of reprisals from pupils and also other members of staff.

 

People have and will be in the future hauled over the coals for making comments about their work, social life and also their private life which because they use these sites is no longer private.

 

Good advice is not to use these social network sites if you can help it and if you can't take care what you say and just be professional at all times.

[enjay]

How about if they could justify what it was that was #### about their job? It is only libellous if it isn't true, remember. It is still painting the school in a less than favourable light, mind you, and I imagine their contract says something about that.

[Hightower]

Why do people never learn?! I have no colleagues on my facebook account, and my privacy is locked so far down you can't read it unless you are an added friend. Not even friends of friends can see my stuff. And even then, everything I write is professional (to a degree). I never swear on it, and never mention anything about work. In fact, all I talk about is football and how much I love fergie (from Black Eyed Peas, not Man Utd!).

[enjay]

Why do people never learn?! I have no colleagues on my facebook account

 

I don't see what is inherently wrong with having colleagues on FB, if you get on well with them, why not? Obviously, remember they are there before typing anything negative about work, but TBH you should think carefully about that anyway, as you never know how information might travel from one person to another.

 

my privacy is locked so far down you can't read it unless you are an added friend. Not even friends of friends can see my stuff.

 

This is where most people let themselves down, and FB keep changing things just to confuse too. "Friends of friends" is the one I don't like, as this is literally thousands of people I don't know and never will. Also, remember EACH photo album has its own privacy settings.

 

In fact, all I talk about is football and how much I love fergie (from Black Eyed Peas, not Man Utd!).

 

Or the member of the royal family :-)

[MrPstv]

How about photos on a school provided laptop of a night out in the pub,of which certain photos might offend some people .as technicians we come across some weird or inappropriate material on laptops,it puts that person in a bit of an awkward situation,what procedures should be followed?

[Pete10141748]

Our AUP states that no-one should be storing personal files on their school-provided laptop.

 

If we find they are, they get send a "File Removal Notice" requesting that remove the files (listed by location) by a set date (typically, a week).

If we check and the files are still not gone then they get sent a 2nd notice which is CC'd to the Head.

If they still don't remove them after the 2nd notice then we inform the Head and she goes to them for 'a talk' (luckily this hasn't had to happen yet!)

 

 

We get all the excuses under the sun as to why the files are there;

"I tranferred them from my camera as the laptop has a card reader and just haven't got around to putting them on my own PC yet" when the photos were taken 2 months ago

 

"I don't have my own PC so where else am I supposed to put (personal) photos from my (personal!) camera?" Not my problem! Buy an external HDD for your own stuff maybe?

Edited May 13, 2010 by Pete10141748

[AngryTechnician]

The long-term answer to both of these is to have what is and isn't acceptable spelled out to Staff. When it comes to using scholl equipment you can be as restrictive and draconian as you (in agreement with SMT) choose, since it's your kit. In terms of what they say out of school, you (+SMT) don't have as much clout, but SMT can still spell out what they expect of staff in terms of professional conduct.

 

The key thing is to make sure people know what's expected of them. If no-oner has said in advance "this isn't OK" then some people will be stupid and not use common sense. If they are told and object, then you discuss internally (and with union reps if necessary to establish any legal basis). If they are told and choose to disobey, then they don't really have a leg to stand on.

[elsiegee40]

It depends...

 

... usually saying bad things about the school is covered under a teacher's contract/code of conduct/AUP/staff manual under "not doing or saying anything that might bring the school, its staff or students into disrepute"

 

We've recently tightened up our Code Of Conduct and Staff AUP to make sure this is crystal clear.

[MartinT]

If it's public and could be construed as bringing the school into disrepute then it should be covered in the AUP. From ours:

 

"The proliferation of social networking sites means that staff and students must be very diligent in their use of such sites for personal networking. Any public page featuring a member of staff or a student must be kept clean, presentable and must not in any way bring the School into disrepute. Social networking between staff and students should be conducted with caution and preferably not at all."

[PiqueABoo]

must be kept clean, presentable

 

Whatever that means. Did a proper lawyer write that?

[dwhyte85]

Just to add... I know of 2 instances within schools where a "I hate my job" like comment has resulted in a warning, I know a few in the corporate world who have been straight sacked (although, one was doing it work time and had befriended the boss!). It's down to school policy but I really don't see any school being too pleased with that kind of comment :-)

 

To be honest, if you're going to do it, keep it private (check privacy) and keep your work and personal life separate - don't add work colleagues as they may be friends of other work colleagues.

[russdev]

Two comments have always stuck with me the first is before writing would you like your gran, parents and the local vicar to see it on the front of the national newspapers. Then second one is I think Robert Scoble once said he learnt all he needed to know about privacy at Microsoft assume you are public all the time.

 

The fact is not matter what people think what you do in private life has effect on your work and that means if you said something negative about your work then you can be fired for it..

 

it is one of the reasons my facebook is very open but it forces me to be very careful what I put up there.

 

Ryss

[PiqueABoo]

if you said something negative about your work then you can be fired for it..

 

Another potential outcome is that you eventually get some cash-back from the employer when their smiley-happy rules are held to be unreasonable. On one side we have human rights i.e. freedom of expression in your own life, and on the other organisation's reputation, with a very fuzzy line in between. Obviously it makes for an easier life if you err on the side of caution, but that doesn't equate to blind acceptance of every rule some (proper-advice-free) employer makes up.

[dwhyte85]

Another potential outcome is that you eventually get some cash-back from the employer when their smiley-happy rules are held to be unreasonable. On one side we have human rights i.e. freedom of expression in your own life, and on the other organisation's reputation, with a very fuzzy line in between. Obviously it makes for an easier life if you err on the side of caution, but that doesn't equate to blind acceptance of every rule some (proper-advice-free) employer makes up.

 

I guess it depends to what extent, if you were to say "XYZ SUCKS!!!11one" it would be pretty harsh, we all have bad days... but to say "XYZ Sucks, the boss is a _____ and i hate every single person within the organisation... and they suck at what they do" that's probably quite fair for an employer to be upset...

[mattx]

Unfortunately this is the way of the world, as people want more and more freedom they are in actual fact getting less and less by promoting themselves on these social networks to which they have no idea of the negative implications which can and often do come back to bite them hard.

 

All our members of staff have been advised not to use any of these social networks for fear of reprisals from pupils and also other members of staff.

 

People have and will be in the future hauled over the coals for making comments about their work, social life and also their private life which because they use these sites is no longer private.

 

Good advice is not to use these social network sites if you can help it and if you can't take care what you say and just be professional at all times.

 

As usual excellent points made by the Bossman.

[PiqueABoo]

"they suck at what they do"

 

I reckon in principle that could also lead to another game to play: corporate defamation.

 

Re. my work I'll just say it's typical pubic sector and let folk fill in the implications however they like.

 

people want more and more freedom

 

I'm not convinced by that (not least coz of the blind-spot re. the Labour governments).. or is it just that techs are better at perceiving how they're throwing it away?

Edited June 9, 2010 by PiqueABoo

[MartinT]

Whatever that means. Did a proper lawyer write that?

 

I wrote it, but it was run past our lawyers!