Why is it Okay to Cyberbully Teachers?

Summary

Teachers are facing increased cyberbullying from parents who use social media to criticize and slander them, despite the teachers' hard work and the negative example this sets for children.

Abstract

The article discusses the growing trend of cyberbullying against teachers by parents who utilize social media platforms to publicly criticize educators for perceived shortcomings in their child's education or well-being. This behavior is ironic and hypocritical, as it contradicts the very lessons teachers strive to impart to students about the dangers of cyberbullying and the responsible use of social media. Teachers are already under significant stress, especially during the pandemic, and are often held to unrealistic standards of accountability for students' academic performance and behavior, while parents fail to hold their children accountable. The article emphasizes that such online attacks not only harm the mental health and reputation of educators but also undermine the cooperative relationship necessary between parents and teachers for the benefit of the students' education.

Opinions

Cyberbullying of teachers by parents is a direct result of the rise of social media, where individuals feel emboldened to make derogatory comments or post embarrassing content.
Parents who engage in cyberbullying against teachers are setting a poor example for their children, going against the teachings of the educators they're attacking.
Teachers are responsible for not only the education but also the physical and emotional well-being of students while at school, and they are often unfairly targeted when parents are dissatisfied.
The article suggests that some parents would be outraged if their child was the victim of cyberbullying but see no issue with cyberbullying teachers.
Teachers are under immense pressure due to the pandemic and the expectations placed upon them, and public scrutiny and blame on social media exacerbate their stress.
The article calls for a cooperative relationship between parents and teachers, asserting that constructive dialogue is more beneficial than public shaming on social media.
Teachers are portrayed as victims of unjustified public defamation, which is damaging to their professional reputation and personal well-being.
The author appeals to parents to treat teachers with the same respect and consideration they would want for themselves or their children, emphasizing that educators are human beings who also experience stress and anxiety.

Parents would never want their children to be treated the way they treat us online.

Cyberbullying is never okay. Unfortunately, this is a trend that came as a direct result of the rise of social media. People can make fun of or post embarrassing pictures of someone else on social media. As educators, we need to teach children the dangers of social media. Of course, one of these dangers is cyberbullying. We teach students about these dangers. We hope they will apply what we taught them about cyberbullying in the classroom to their social media habits. Unfortunately, we are not their only influence.

Parents have more influence over their children at home than we ever could at school. After all, they raise these children. We hope they will reaffirm what we have taught them about cyberbullying in school at home. However, what teachers are finding is some parents do the opposite of what we teach. This has become especially prevalent in regards to cyberbullying. Sadly, the people the parents are cyberbullying are the teachers who work so hard to give their child the best education possible.

We are in charge of their child’s education. In addition, we are also in charge of their well-being while they are away from their parents. While our primary responsibility is to educate the child, we also need to be aware of their physical and social/emotional needs. After all, their parents aren’t in school to provide for those needs. If parents aren’t happy with how their academic, physical, or social/emotional needs are being met; they’ll make sure everyone on the internet knows.

When a parent isn’t happy with a teacher or administrator, they’ll take to social media and slander this person. This is called cyberbullying, which is exactly what we don’t want students to do. What’s worse is if another student did this to their child, they would be furious. Yet, they think it is okay to ridicule a teacher on the internet. Teachers work so hard to meet their student’s academic needs. If parents aren’t happy with a discipline issue, they subject teachers to mental torture by telling everyone on social media how terrible the teachers do their job.

Too often do the citizens of a town take to a town Facebook page to talk about how terrible a particular teacher or administrator is at their job. They even go as far as to attack someone’s physical appearance, which has nothing to do with the problem at hand. There have even been websites dedicated to public slander of teachers in a particular district. If this isn’t cyberbullying, I don’t know what is!

Teachers are under enough scrutiny already. We have one of the most important jobs in the world and get paid so little for it. We are teaching during a pandemic, which hasn’t been easy by any stretch of the imagination. We get blamed for “learning loss” beyond our control. We are always made to feel our best is never good enough. If your child is failing, it’s automatically our fault. The fact you’re letting everyone know on social media makes the stress even worse.

We are blamed for children failing or misbehaving. It is always about what we can do. It’s never what can your child do to pass the next marking period or stay out of trouble. If they fail, it’s clearly because we failed to teach them. If they get in trouble, it’s because we’re bullying them. This is yet another problem we deal with in our profession. There’s too much accountability on us and not on the students. Yet, you choose to exploit our so-called “shortcomings” on social media. You subject us to public scrutiny on Facebook, Twitter, or any part of the internet you can reach. You let the world know we are 100% responsible for whatever issue your child faces during the school day without considering the possibility your child might be lying to you!

I do not want to demonize all parents. I know some parents hold their children accountable and would never think of ruining a teacher’s reputation via social media. What I want them to know is that posting to social media to tell everyone how terrible we are will not help the situation. Teachers and parents need to have a cooperative relationship. You don’t have to like us, but you need to work with us. Your child’s education is in our hands. Your posts on social media only hurt our relationship. You and your child want to be able to trust us.

We want to be able to trust you and your child in the same way. Teachers are human beings, too. Yet, you exploit us like we’re celebrities in the tabloids. You exaggerate and sometimes fabricate what happens in the classroom for the whole internet to see. We understand we are public figures, but that does not make it okay to cyberbully us. As I said, you wouldn’t want anyone to treat you or your child this way. Why do you treat us this way? At the end of the day, we have feelings. We experience stress and anxiety just like any other human being. It’s not fair to defame us on the internet just because you’re not happy. Talk to us instead of talking to the internet.