Help with high school.

[~*familyof3*~]

Ok so first of I will point out our ds13 is a child who needs extra help. He has quite a few issues including behavioural ones.
As he parents we have limited his access to things like he does not have a mobile (whats he need one for anyway) He does not currently get to use the computers at home ect ect. This is because while some children his age can grasp that the internet ect can be a dangerous place DS can not. Like everyday life he is extremely naïve and innocent. He is 13 but mental functions a lot younger.

He is in a special class at school and part main stream as well. Now normally if the school needs him to have access to the net we have to sign a form. Today DS13 comes home and informs me that one of his teachers, one whom I have many issues with including him trying to tell us not to discipline him at home as the school already did, as well as not telling us what issue our son has had at school as he thinks what happens at school stays at school, This teacher MADE him make up a gmail account including an email chat and made their profile pic a photo of themselves that they took with the camera on the computer!!!! DS13 told him that I his mum wouldn't let him as his not allowed one, the teacher told him NO its ok. And made him make one.

Im furious im so freakin mad right now. I just called the school and spoke to the principal about this. And she said it sounds like part of the class, well yes I understand that but don't you need my permission in writing first?? This profile has his full name and his full date of birth too!! All she said was I can speak to him and make a appointment for you to speak to him. Again I told her ive had many issue with this teacher and he does not listen to me and that's why im going to you. She simply just repeated herself and said she wouldn't get back to me till Monday.

Whats your opinion on this? Am I right to be upset and is there anything I can do?? DS even asked the teacher if he could put in a fake name as he knew how we felt about him having an account t and the teacher told him no he had to use his full name.
Can I take this further? While im asking am I right in that I should also be being told the whole story of when things happen at school from the teacher about my child or just the bits he wants to tell me?

Help

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

As a parent, you have parental rights. Not the school. The myth about the school being in loco parentis ONLY applies if your child is living at the school and you've signed many forms - and even then, it's still a myth. The school cannot, these days, take the role of parent.

First thing, written complaint to the head. I would demand a meeting with teacher, teacher's head of department/line manager and the head. See where that gets you. You can also put in a written request your son no longer attends this teacher's lessons, but that may not be heeded (give your reasons unemotionally, but do request it and give the reasons: it is more about internet safety and not communicating than "he doesn't listen to us" etc, which is valid but also emotive).

Second thing, complaint to governors, then state education department.

Also, right now, get your DS to log on to the computer with you sat there, change his mail account or, ideally, shut it down entirely. Can you flag the profile to have it deleted by the Gmail administrators? I know you can with facebook etc.

[Babyluv]

I think you should wait until you speak to the teacher. Things might not be as they seem. Once you know exactly what has happened then address it.

[Phteven]

I would email the teacher and the Principal and let them know that if they pull a stunt like that again that you will take it over their head to the Dept of Education.
There is a clear guideline that is in place for a good reason. The teacher broke the guideline and the Principal has failed to take this seriously. This is a breach of their duty of care towards their students.
You have every right to be furious. The school has let you and your son down.

[~*familyof3*~]

Thanks everyone. Babyluv this teacher has done this before on many things and this is why i dont wish to speak to him. All the other times i have he just kept telling me its ok he has delt with it so i shouldnt bring it up with my child.
He completly over rides us as his parents.

I have made ds sit with me and show me the profile and email and its all there to see. I have made it all private for now so i can go and show the school tomorrow after which i will be deleting the account.

I have had meetings with this teacher plus the principal before and they never followed through on what they told me. I have no trust in them at all.

[chody47]

I think that's horrible. If the lesson was how to set up an account that's fine, but kids shouldn't be using all their identifying details (and your sons idea of an alias was a great idea!). We actually have people come into our school teaching out students NOT to put all their details on the Internet. You have every right to be upset. I hope the meeting resolves this issue to your satisfaction.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Just another thought from me:

Where I live, students are all given school e-mail accounts. Only these should be used in the school: other e-mail providers and social networks are blocked from students so this sort of thing does not happen. (Well, mostly so school is for school stuff not cyberbullying and candy crush.) For a teacher to know the personal e-mail addy of a student, or get them to set up an account which is known to them and against parental wishes - huge safeguarding red flag. I mean huge. Sackable offence.

[Babyluv]

In that case yes it sounds like he has definitely crossed the line big time. Send an email to the principal explaining you will not be speaking with him and that you want this dealt with. They need to give you evidence that this teacher has been counselled regarding the situation. I agree with PP if you're not happy take it up with the department.

[surprised]

I'd be really unimpressed as well

[black_rose]

It's does sound like he has crossed the line this time, if the principal doesn't take action I would be going to the education department as its against everything they earn about in regards to Internet safety.

[misty]

Take screen shots of it all and then shut it down immediately. Draft a formal email outlining the issues and send it to the principle making clear that you expect 'them' to adequately address these issues to your satisfaction, or you will be taking it further with the board of education. I would also be making clear that your child is NOT to be in this teachers class until and if these issues are resolved. Make sure you keep copies of the screenshots and the email to send through to the board of education if the principle still fobs you off.

[misty]

And honestly, given how little respect and consideration they have shown you as the parent, I would be looking around for a new school if possible regardless of the outcome.

[BrightSparkles]

Agree with others here. Screen shot the things and delete the account. I would be also writing a formal complaint with a deadline. You can cc the regional director into this email also from the department. As far as I'm aware it's against department policies for students to even be accessing this on school computers hence the blocks.
Gl x

[AnyDream]

Yeah, creating publicly accessible profile with personal information online = not cool for school.

At my DD's school, she had some assignments last year where they were required to create social media pages for their choice of fictional character. The school used PAID SOFTWARE that allowed the students to create mock pages with all the features that the real site would have without logging on to the Internet at all. Simultaneously, they had intensive cyber safety instruction. This was great because the school was able to use the pretend exercise to teach about the real dangers involved. I can't see why any school/teacher would need to do these types of exercises "live" on the web. It reflects poorly on the teacher (for not doing their research & planning properly) and the school (for their lax IT policies & failure to provide appropriate software for student use).

[~*familyof3*~]

Thankyou everyone for your replies. Thought I had better give an update.
The teacher has called me, And never once said sorry for doing it.He said he hadn't set one up for everyone yet ect but that it was going to be used to teach them internet safety and to send work to them and them to send it back. He then went on to say he hadn't even sat down with the class to tell them what the rules would be or any safety stuff. I told him that as a teacher doesn't he think that he should have sat down with the class first and on top of that got parents consent too. Again he just babbled it was part of the computing class, which may be but again its my freaking right to know what MY child will be doing.

After all that I had to show him some other things I had infact found on the profile which was not appropriate at all. DS and some girl in his class were on the chat that came with the account and had a rather explicit conversation. And had to tell him these are part reason why we haven't set it up. He then tells me ...oh ok well I guess im will need to bad him for a few days as well as said girl. PFFT I told know he wouldn't need to as I had already taken screen shots and deactivated the account as well as changed the password so ds wouldn't be able to re-activate it.

The next day DS tells me the teacher spoke to him and said girl told them they made a dumb choice and would be banned for......TWO DAYS!! UGH.
After all that im still not happy so have gone on to make an official complaint. So I shall see where that goes. But honestly ive had so many issues with this school over riding us as his parents that im ready to home school him.
Most days we find out he has been watching movies rather than doing work

[Artechim]

So he basically just tried to justify setting up a public chat profile for your kid and has no intention of changing his plan?

Good on you for going above him. That really isn't acceptable.

[Trillian]

He said he hadn't set one up for everyone yet ect but that it was going to be used to teach them internet safety and to send work to them and them to send it back.

I call bull**** on thatreason.I think the school and the teacher is way out of line. ALL students should be using a DET issued email account to use within school for that purpose. Not sure what state you are in, but they are legally bound to have you sign parental consent forms as well as the student signing consent forms basically saying that they will not use it incorrectly. The school DS1 goes to is also able to track every single email that is sent and received for the year 7 students to the point where they all had to get a talking to over some students sending improper emails to each other and the instigators had their computer access blocked for a period of time. A gmail account is absolutely unacceptable!

[black_rose]

Trill has said it perfectly he is shifting blame to your son and the other student when it happened in his class under his care not good enough especially when he hadn't even talk about safety yet.