Teachers Are Facing Death Threats And Rape Accusations From Pupils Online
Teachers are facing death threats, abuse and allegations of serious crimes by pupils and parents through social networking sites, a poll suggests.
One was even told her throat would be slit, while another was accused of being a rapist.
Online abuse of teachers is widespread, with more than two-fifths (42%) of those questioned saying they had been a victim of it, a survey by the NASUWT teaching union has found.
Of those, more than three-fifths (61.2%) said a pupil had written an insulting comment about them on a social networking or internet site, while more than a third (38.1%) said a student had made comments about their competence or performance as a teacher.
And nearly one in 10 (9.1%) said they had faced allegations that they behaved inappropriately with pupils.
One teacher told the survey that a student had posted that they were going to "slit my throat", while a second said a pupil had written "my English teacher should actually die" and a third said a student had posted that a teacher "is a rapist".
Another teacher had faced claims that they were unable to do their job and should be sacked. The teacher told the survey there had been "lies about me: saying inappropriate things to pupils, insulting pupils, having sexually absurd behaviours. Generally defaming and insulting me, spreading rumours about me throughout the school."
In some of these cases, action was taken against those responsible.
The poll, which questioned 1,522 teachers, found that the majority of pupils responsible (60%) were aged between 11 and 16, although some teachers reported comments by primary schoolchildren.
One was even told her throat would be slit, while another was accused of being a rapist.
Online abuse of teachers is widespread, with more than two-fifths (42%) of those questioned saying they had been a victim of it, a survey by the NASUWT teaching union has found.
Of those, more than three-fifths (61.2%) said a pupil had written an insulting comment about them on a social networking or internet site, while more than a third (38.1%) said a student had made comments about their competence or performance as a teacher.
And nearly one in 10 (9.1%) said they had faced allegations that they behaved inappropriately with pupils.
One teacher told the survey that a student had posted that they were going to "slit my throat", while a second said a pupil had written "my English teacher should actually die" and a third said a student had posted that a teacher "is a rapist".
Another teacher had faced claims that they were unable to do their job and should be sacked. The teacher told the survey there had been "lies about me: saying inappropriate things to pupils, insulting pupils, having sexually absurd behaviours. Generally defaming and insulting me, spreading rumours about me throughout the school."
In some of these cases, action was taken against those responsible.
The poll, which questioned 1,522 teachers, found that the majority of pupils responsible (60%) were aged between 11 and 16, although some teachers reported comments by primary schoolchildren.
