Parents posting critiques of their kids’ teachers on Facebook and other social media

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a big difference between:

Ms. Monica Bing at Radlin Middle School is just AWFUL! So shrill, always screaming at the kids, talks nonstop during tests and refusing to let the kids mute their laptops, etc.

and

My daughter's 3rd grade teacher is really making my DD hate school. I am scrambling to make things better but she's just awful.

Uh...neither sounds OK to me. What am I missing?

Same. Why would anyone need to post either?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm ok with parents venting on facebook, but they shouldn't name the teacher - that is tacky.

This idea that teachers are so fragile and need to be protected is weird. We all complain about professional relationships (doctors, bosses) on facebook though we don't use names. It's like the whole teacher appreciating week thing. So infantilizing!

I would never complain about a boss on Facebook! That’s really stupid.

That would be pretty idiotic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers wanted all distance learning and this is an unintended consequence. If you’re in parents homes, parents are going to have an opinion about everything you do. Don’t like it ... push to get back in the classrooms.

Sure. I’ll push back time so Trump and the CDC don’t completely both the coronavirus response. Better, I’ll push back time all the way so people won’t vote for Trump.

[Anonymous]

For people who think this behavior is okay, how old are you? I'm 46, I would never complain about my kid's teacher online. I have high school and college aged kids. Somehow I managed to get through their entire schooling without ever posting anything school related on facebook. It is tacky and unprofessional, and not very strategic. This person is with your kid everyday and may have some input on their class placement the following year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For people who think this behavior is okay, how old are you? I'm 46, I would never complain about my kid's teacher online. I have high school and college aged kids. Somehow I managed to get through their entire schooling without ever posting anything school related on facebook. It is tacky and unprofessional, and not very strategic. This person is with your kid everyday and may have some input on their class placement the following year.

I think it's ok. I'm 37 and went to college in the age of RateMyProfessor, so that might have something to do with it.

[Anonymous]

When I stopped teaching ten years ago, I didn't hear about this, but gossip about individual teachers was rampant and could be a distraction. It was also common for parents to trash teachers to their students, which is much more damaging than posting something online. My students would tell me about this. It was a much bigger issue in private than public, but it didn't have a significant impact on my ability to do my job.

Just don't read the Facebook posts and then you won't be so upset. Who cares what people post on social media?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a big difference between:

Ms. Monica Bing at Radlin Middle School is just AWFUL! So shrill, always screaming at the kids, talks nonstop during tests and refusing to let the kids mute their laptops, etc.

and

My daughter's 3rd grade teacher is really making my DD hate school. I am scrambling to make things better but she's just awful.

I disagree. Though not specifically naming is better, her daughter’s third grade teacher might be known to the friends. You are still identifying a professional and criticizing her on social media.

What do you do for a living? Do you think it would be ok for your client or coworker to post “my coworker who works on blah blah blah is just awful”?

People leave reviews for service providers all the time. I'm frequently asked by the providers to leave reviews on Facebook/Google/Yelp.

So you equate a teacher to.... wait staff?

Humm... no pp you are quoting, but what is wrong or "less" about a wait staff? If anything, the standards should be higher for teachers since they must have a bachelors degree at the very least. And make more $$.

I'm the poster you quoted. I waitressed my way through high school and part of college.

You don't pay a teacher when you leave. Teaching isn't part of the service industry was my point.

[Anonymous]

It’s tacky, and the people I know who do it have either “May I Speak to the Manager” syndrome or poorly behaved children (usually both). It’s rarely a teacher issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers wanted all distance learning and this is an unintended consequence. If you’re in parents homes, parents are going to have an opinion about everything you do. Don’t like it ... push to get back in the classrooms.

Sure. I’ll push back time so Trump and the CDC don’t completely both the coronavirus response. Better, I’ll push back time all the way so people won’t vote for Trump.

Yeah, sorry. Now you want to threaten teachers by trashing them online because you hate distance learning? And if teachers object then they should rush back into unsafe working conditions so parents back off? No. I will not be bullied by you or any other parent, I don’t care how angry and red in the face you get. I will report you to my supervisor if you do anything unethical and if your child tells me that you say “this isn’t real school, so I don’t have to do the work” I will put that in writing to my boss as well. Don’t think you can walk all over me. I don’t work for you and I see right through you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only trashy people do this. They are never going to be anything else than trashy. Nobody I know does this.

+1. It is foolish and short-sighted as well, and suggests a lack of maturity in the parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For people who think this behavior is okay, how old are you? I'm 46, I would never complain about my kid's teacher online. I have high school and college aged kids. Somehow I managed to get through their entire schooling without ever posting anything school related on facebook. It is tacky and unprofessional, and not very strategic. This person is with your kid everyday and may have some input on their class placement the following year.

I think it's ok. I'm 37 and went to college in the age of RateMyProfessor, so that might have something to do with it.

I do think this is an age thing. Older parents are going to think this is bad and younger parents who grew up with online reviews as the norm are going to think this is ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a big difference between:

Ms. Monica Bing at Radlin Middle School is just AWFUL! So shrill, always screaming at the kids, talks nonstop during tests and refusing to let the kids mute their laptops, etc.

and

My daughter's 3rd grade teacher is really making my DD hate school. I am scrambling to make things better but she's just awful.

I disagree. Though not specifically naming is better, her daughter’s third grade teacher might be known to the friends. You are still identifying a professional and criticizing her on social media.

What do you do for a living? Do you think it would be ok for your client or coworker to post “my coworker who works on blah blah blah is just awful”?

People leave reviews for service providers all the time. I'm frequently asked by the providers to leave reviews on Facebook/Google/Yelp.

So you equate a teacher to.... wait staff?

Humm... no pp you are quoting, but what is wrong or "less" about a wait staff? If anything, the standards should be higher for teachers since they must have a bachelors degree at the very least. And make more $$.

I'm the poster you quoted. I waitressed my way through high school and part of college.

You don't pay a teacher when you leave. Teaching isn't part of the service industry was my point.

Yes, teaching is a service job. Just like nursing, doctors, lawyers, and yes, the food service jobs you clearly look down on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers wanted all distance learning and this is an unintended consequence. If you’re in parents homes, parents are going to have an opinion about everything you do. Don’t like it ... push to get back in the classrooms.

Sure. I’ll push back time so Trump and the CDC don’t completely both the coronavirus response. Better, I’ll push back time all the way so people won’t vote for Trump.

Yeah, sorry. Now you want to threaten teachers by trashing them online because you hate distance learning? And if teachers object then they should rush back into unsafe working conditions so parents back off? No. I will not be bullied by you or any other parent, I don’t care how angry and red in the face you get. I will report you to my supervisor if you do anything unethical and if your child tells me that you say “this isn’t real school, so I don’t have to do the work” I will put that in writing to my boss as well. Don’t think you can walk all over me. I don’t work for you and I see right through you.

Ooooh... You're going to report me to *your* supervisor. In writing, no less.

You should work on your threats.

[Anonymous]

What are teachers so scared of. Do a good job and parents may complain but won't be able to point to anything.

If I'm watching my kids teacher abuse kids or clearly have not prepared on Zoom. Why can't i comment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those parents should get a life. Sad and weird.

+1 gazillion.