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29 suspended for insulting teacher on Facebook
Mark Blunden12 Jan 2009
A LEADING London girls' school has suspended 29 pupils for posting malicious comments about a teacher on Facebook.
Dozens of pupils at The Grey Coat Hospital School, a Westminster comprehensive, subscribed to a group called The Hate Society on the social networking site.
The "deeply insulting comments" came to light when a pupil printed the page and passed it around. It has since been removed from the web. The unnamed female teacher targeted was reportedly so upset that she needed counselling.
The girls were suspended for between two and 15 days just before Christmas, but some pupils feel the punishment was extreme. One said: "The school handled it very badly by suspending a huge number of people. It was just a stupid game that no one took any notice of. We have said sorry."
Grey Coat is rated "outstanding" by Ofsted. Former pupils include Labour politician Tamsin Dunwoody and television presenter Sarah Greene.
Teaching unions said the problem of cyberbullying was becoming worse
Headteacher Rachel Allard said: "The vast majority of parents who have been to see me about this incident understand why we have taken firm disciplinary action."
Reader views (11)
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 right whatever you want in your diary and share it with friends.
I am seeing very little critical thought amongst your comments, a lot of emotion, a lot of one-sideness.
- Insider, London., 15/01/2009 00:41
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As a former pupil of the school I support this action. Bullying should not be acceptable whether it's directed at teachers or students. Yes we've all said things about teachers we dislike at one point or another but to go to the extent of putting it on facebook is out of order.
- Charley Hasted, Stoke on trent, UK, 13/01/2009 17:34
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The worse move did country ever did was stopping corporal punishment. If each of these girls received six strokes of the cane they would never do this again and their peers would think twice before embarking on the same trail.
- Michael, London, 13/01/2009 09:40
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I couldn't help but wonder, reading the comment of one of the suspended pupils as reported in the article, whether she would have been so dismissive had it been her on the receiving end of such petty spitefulness. I am sure, in that case, that an apology would have been nowhere near sufficient...
- Helen, London, UK, 12/01/2009 15:57
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I don't know what the girls were saying about this poor woman but in my experience a big group of girls can be very bitchy indeed when they've nothing better to do and teachers have always been considered fair game. Hasn't it always been like this, except now instead of passing bitchy comments in note form or whispering, it goes onto a website and becomes public knowledge. I don't think punishing them will do them any harm whatsoever though!
- Isabel, Woking, 12/01/2009 14:59
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Facebook - One of the worst things ever invented
- Lb, London, 12/01/2009 14:37
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There should be financial penalties against the parents. The lack of respect in society is lead by feckless parents and liberal-lefties who actual make excuses for the scum in society.
- Frank, Home Counties, England, 12/01/2009 13:46
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"Pupils at the school I taught in treated it as extra holiday" Really Mr. Brown ?
But the vast majority of young people, including these girls, clearly see exclusion from school as a punishment they did not wish to endure. They acted wrongfuly and have now learned a harsh lesson of life.
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 12/01/2009 13:17
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T Brown is sooo right. Exclusion is not a punishment; picking up litter after school for an hour each day is.
- Liz, London, 12/01/2009 12:49
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A valuable lesson at such an early stage of life. The right to free speech goes hand-in-hand with a responsibility not to abuse that privilege. Quite a few public figures could do with learning this lesson too....Brand, Ross, George Galloway and every halfwit 'celebrity' who utters offensive nonsense when given a public platform...
- Emo, Belfast, 12/01/2009 12:07
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I'm amazed that anybody thinks exclusion is a punishment. Pupils at the school I taught in treated it as extra holiday and a chance to lie in, play on the internet and wander around the shopping centre. The kids would then reappear at school afterwards and behave as badly as before.
- T Brown, Willesden England, 12/01/2009 11:51
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