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Students excluded for posting insults to teachers on Facebook
SEVERAL pupils have been suspended after they wrote offensive remarks about teachers on a social network website.
Hipperholme and Lightcliffe High School head Anthony Smith said the pupils' behaviour was unacceptable and highlighted problems that can be caused by the internet.
He said an evening discussion room was created on Facebook where the excluded students posted offensive comments about staff.
"While the events took place out of school time, the messages were publicly accessible and the members of staff quite rightly objected," he said.
"To support the staff and other students, the decision was made to exclude them."
Mr Smith said Facebook and other similar sites were blocked from accesss within all Calderdale schools.
He said the issue of young people using technology inappropriately was being tackled in schools and Hipperholme and Lightcliffe had already planned action.
"As a way of helping parents and the community understand and help with internet safety, the school is going to host internet safety information sessions for parents in the near future," he said.
Trevor Harris, Calderdale Council's internet safety officer, said: "Internet safety is an area of growing concern and there is a lot of Government guidance and training packages for staff who come into contact with young people, and parents."
One problem is that parents' knowledge of the internet is not as advanced.
"A lot of children are way ahead of their parents and it is difficult to convince parents to attend sessions in big numbers. The knowledge gap is a concern," said Mr Harris.
He warns against so-called "friends" on the internet and using unofficial sites.
"If you are not prepared to say something face-to-face then do not say it through technology," said Mr Harris.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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