Online forum..

mary.geary13

I love having this forum to check up things.

Just wondering about the authenticity of the page on Facebook where teachers are posting- is this run by principals and management bodies?

A lot of my colleagues have heard rumours that they post questions to sway teachers in a certain direction , lets say and so that they can keep an eye on what we are posting in questions and responses?

Any one else thought like this...

Alqua

I don't know the answer to your question, but I do have a serious issue with that page.

It was originally set up as a campaign group, which then gradually turned into a Q&A page. It should have been made into a private group at that point, but it wasn't. I think it's crazy that everything on it is completely public and visible to students, parents, anyone! 

It also seems to have become the go-to for everything and holds way too much weight for some - which would make me worry Re what you've said above. All the people sending in questions to it - just ring your union.

If it’s the Facebook page I’m thinking of..

They absolutely sway towards certain viewpoints. Covid is just one example - they posted a query (well more a statement) about masks. Any point made in favour of them not being mandated was deleted. A post with 60/70 comments 1 hour later had 10 comments all agreeing with the OP.

Now, I understand it’s a private Facebook page, they can do what the want. It spawned from a union lobby/pressure/splinter group didn’t it? It absolutely is useful for certain queries. However, independent, unbiased and a voice for everyone, it is not. It does also attract some blowback and ridicule as well from being 100% public and accessible to everyone.

mtoutlemonde

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118717068#Comment_118717068

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118717068#Comment_118717068

Considering some of the mad queries which Google could answer, I would assume it's full of NQTs who didn't think it's important enough to be part of a union. I can say that by attending and we never have more than five new members and no one new turning up to branch meetings. The first thing I advise new teachers is to join a union. I worry for the future of the profession and the ways management/dept will tell teachers to jump and teachers asking how high.

I read some of the comments but sometimes just feel like typing the word Google into the comment box. It's interesting to see what happens in other schools though. There was one today about grievance procedures but I don't think I'd be putting my name to a public forum for such a serious procedure. The education system is relatively small in Ireland.

I miss Boards from the past where there was genuine advice so I just hover now ;) I think that's what those admins were trying to recreate and yes I remember in the early days, it was campaigning for teachers rights but so much now.

Random sample

Admin there definitely have an agenda. I think the page has run its course and someone is going to get into trouble (if they haven’t already) with the replies they are giving to anonymous question askers! There’s a huge amount of confidential information, and more worryingly, misinformation, given out by teachers and former sec examiners.

Treppen

Question every week about "where do teachers go for advice about pensions/insurance/mortgage I don't know any companies?".

with first response as "contact David K#######r , I've used his services and he's great". The guy is getting so much business he's now recommending his buddies.

Garibaldi?

It's a big eye-opener when you read about whats goin on in schools.

mary.geary13

exactly, but it is like posts are tailored to ensure that teachers comply in a certain way

mary.geary13

be careful what you write , principals running the page and it will be held against you.

Treppen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118829309#Comment_118829309

Not sure about principals running the page. VFT was very much an offshoot from ASTI strikes (remember megaphone man😁 ). And that's the time most Principals jumped ship from unions .

That's my understanding anyway, I might be wrong.

mary.geary13

Not so sure, Treppen, feel it may be used to influence and point people in the right (??) direction, if you get what I mean......

joebloggs32

I was never on Facebook but a couple of years ago i followed their twitter page.

I never really interacted with it but i stopped following them about 6 months ago. They seemed to have certain agendas that they want to amplify. Fair enough if thats their bag, I've better things to look at.