Rowdy pupils face weekend detention

Evening and Saturday detentions are included in a raft of sanctions that came into force today giving teachers the ability to tackle problem children both in and outside school.

Education Secretary Alan Johnson will tell the NASUWT teachers' union conference in Belfast that the rules will also cover the use of "virtual intimidation" as pupils use mobile phones, internet websites and chatrooms to "cyber bully" teachers and other students.

Mr Johnson will tell the NASUWT that cyber bullying, like paedophilia, is part of the "sinister downside" of the internet.

Last week the Association of Teachers and Lecturers said at its Easter conference that it was examining whether legal action would be possible against the owners of websites used by children to post abusive content.

Included in the new powers coming into force is one that enables teachers to confiscate mobile phones and MP3 players from pupils. Teachers complain that increasing numbers of children - some as young as eight - are using cameras on their phones to take pictures of staff in embarrassing positions.

The ATL said it knew of one case where an eight-year-old boy used a phone to take a picture looking up a teacher's skirt.

Mr Johnson will tell the NASUWT: "I believe there is a wider responsibility upon those providers of the sites which broadcast this material.

"These are big companies we are talking about: they have a social responsibility and moral obligations to act." He will add: "I am therefore calling on the providers of these sites to take firmer action to block or remove offensive school videos, in the same way that they have commendably cut pornographic content. By removing the platform we'll blunt the appeal."

Mr Johnson will stress that while in the past it was unclear legally whether teachers had the power to deal with bad behaviour outside school, now those youngsters face being caught regardless of where they break the rules.

He will tell the NASUWT that the owners of websites such as YouTube, Bebo, RateMyTeachers, they have a "social and moral" responsibility to crack down on children who use their sites to post abusive, embarrassing and threatening messages and images.

As many of these sites are based in America, Mr Johnson has little if any power to force them to change their practices.

But he will stress: "The online harassment of teachers is causing some to consider leaving the profession because of the defamation and humiliation they are forced to endure."