Social Media

Dear Parent/Carer,

I write to you in relation to non-school related issues that are affecting our students and their education.  

Social media platforms such as Whatsapp, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok have had widespread impact on the way in which we communicate and express our thoughts and opinions.  Social media clearly has many benefits for us both as individuals and as communities; many schools including Bishop Challoner Catholic College harness this power to engage even more closely with parents and students.

Unfortunately, we are also experiencing an increasing number of situations where social media has been the vehicle for inappropriate behaviour by students.  There are occasions when things are said in the virtual world are at best unhelpful and, at worst, may constitute harassment, bullying or intimidation, which could ultimately lead to police involvement.

Social media and bullying

There have been number of situations where we have had to deal with students using social media to be unkind to others.  What starts as something seemingly harmless takes no account of how those on the receiving end might feel nor does it recognise how quickly things can get out of control and become extremely unpleasant. Whilst things are most likely to have taken place off the school site and outside school hours, the resulting ‘fallout’ in such situations can have major implications for harmonious relationships within school and a resulting negative impact on teaching and learning and the progress of students in lessons.

Some recent examples of ill-considered use of social media have caused school staff to spend a disproportionate amount of time trying to manage issues and situations. We would much prefer if this time could be focused on our students’ education.

Two common questions:

If the site I post comments on is ‘private’ then why should I worry what I say, as only my ‘friends’ can read it?

Once a comment has been posted there is nothing to stop other users forwarding or sharing it. What started as an initial ‘sounding off’ can quickly spread much more widely and cause a lot of unintended hurt.

How could the police get involved?

If postings are threatening or discriminatory then the police may become involved and have the authority to seize mobile devices and contact service providers.

The school may decide to report issues to the police even if reported victims decide not to.