THE increasing use of social media is leading to greater harassment of teachers by parents, the NASUWT annual conference will hear today.
Delegates will discuss how the rising use of applications such as WhatsApp and online learning tools has led to a sharp increase in parents using it to place unreasonable demands on teachers at all times of the day.
It comes as schools embraced the technology in a bid to facilitate online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.
But a motion due to be debated at the teaching conference in Belfast today will hear that the learning tools have also given parents and guardians access to teachers and school leaders outside of working hours, including at weekends.
This intrusion into educators’ personal time has seen a rise in inappropriate messages and demands being sent to members, members will hear.
Justin McCamphill, NASUWT National Official NI, said the use of online technologies has been "abused by some parents to harass teachers".
"Throughout the pandemic teachers have learned how to create online lessons, contacted vulnerable children on a daily basis and done their utmost to ensure pupils had the resources they needed to learn from home," he said.
"But we have seen some of these online technologies have been abused by some parents to harass teachers and to criticise them on social media.
"School bullying and harassment policies need to be updated to make it clear that teachers will be protected from messages sent to them in their own time when they are not at school."
Delegates will roday debate a motion calling on the NASUWT to ask for school bullying and harassment policies to be updated to include a section for protection on teachers subjected to targeted message outside of school.
Members will also discuss the issuing of parental information leaflets to outline appropriate use of messaging platforms when discussing school issues.
The union will also hear calls for the Department of Education and Education Authority to provide support should a member find themselves subject to harassment over a messaging platform.
NASUWT general secretary Dr Patrick Roach added: "Teachers have adapted to new ways of online working and embraced new tools out of necessity to help children while they were learning from home during the pandemic.
"But it cannot be acceptable for this technology for parents to be able to harass and place unreasonable demands on teachers at all times of the day and night.
"We need robust and clear communications guidance to make it clear the intrusion into teachers personal lives will not be allowed."
