Girls Suspended Over Facebook Site!

[Libby]

Dozens of girls were suspended from a C of E school for setting up a defamatory Facebook site about a teacher.

Some 29 pupils aged between 11 and 18 at Grey Coat Hospital girls' school in Westminster signed up to the webpage, which they called The Hate Society.

They were suspended from two to 15 days and most will return on Tuesday.

Head Teacher Rachel Allard said the decision was designed "to send a strong message to those responsible that we do not tolerate such behaviour."

She said the girls had posted a series of deeply insulting comments on Facebook about a member of staff. The site has been taken down.

Ms Allard added: "The vast majority of parents who have been to see me about this incident are supportive of the school and understand why we have taken firm disciplinary action."

The comprehensive school traces its beginnings to 1698 when it was founded by local churchgoers to educate the poor of the parish and make them "loyal citizens, useful workers and solid Christians".

Pupils are expected to follow a code of conduct which states they should "avoid behaving in a way which is threatening, rude, hurtful or humiliating".

Do you agree with the girls' punishment? Should they have been allowed to continue with their Facebook site?!

[slippylizard]

Silly wee lassies, need to learn a lesson. That is all.

[Brittles]

Jan 10, 2009 0:34:06 GMT slippylizard said:

Silly wee lassies,

Remember well, I have wan the noo. 13 yr. auld knows everythin.

At least she thinks she diz.



We'll see.

[slippylizard]

I'll remember alright youngest is 9, spent tonight in A&E with broken toes after dancing went pearshaped.

[lala]

I'm surprised this wasn't challenged by more of the parents - "The vast majority of parents ... are supportive of the school " indicates a few weren't happy. Since it didn't directly involve the school, it would be arguable the school had no authority. Defamation, threats, assualts and so on, taking place outside of school, would usually get referred to the police if serious enough - unless the brats were siilly enough to use a school computer to access the site.

[puffin]

I would imagine that most parents would rather their girls were suspended than have the police brought in.

[Libby]

Good point lala about wondering whether the school computer was used or not. I know at my youngest son's school (he's 15), the kids are always on Facebook during IT lessons. He told me. They chat and goodness knows what on the school pcs. Not acceptable. Closer monitoring needed methinks!

[Beachcomber]

Why can't the school restrict the access to certain sites ?

Shouldn't be too difficult - most offices do it.

[Libby]

I've no idea why they don't. Unless of course they don't restrict the access because the teachers use these sites too! lol! It seems to be quite common that schoolkids access sites in my opinion they shouldn't. It happens in other schools to my sons too.