Legally Acceptable?

[littlegraftersmu]

if a person in a supervisory teaching role were to send a generic message to a whole group or people parents of other pupils about a family parents and children that they were trouble causers would this be legally acceptable

[Postdog]

Eh?

[Mamyalynne]

Not very clear what you mean , but...


Dear Parents

This is to let you know that XYZ Family (naming them) are troublemakers.


Sounds like a sticky wicket to be on and solves what ??

[sherrardk]

Would imagine that the person who sent the message would face disciplinary proceedings.

[2sp_]

I would think that someone in a teaching position (or any other role at a school) would get into serious trouble if they were to discuss any family or child in this manner.

I'm sure it would be taken very seriously by the school.

Has this happened to you?

[FredPuli43]

Hmm. For what particular reason was this missive circulated? Or has it not yet been?

[littlegraftersmu]

sorry i am not very good with technology so apologies if i have posted in the wrong place, yes Mark as best answer it is actually Naming the Family as them having been known trouble causers and any issues should be reported immediately?

[littlegraftersmu]

yes it has been circulated as my child was joining the group

[sherrardk]

What role do you play in this scenario as your course of action will be different dependant upon what part you play.

[saxy_jag]

I'm with the others here.

I don't know about illegal, but it goes against every rule in the professional book and quite rightly so.

[Mamyalynne]

The School has handled it badly then, far better a timely reminder to Parents that any issues arising from Bullying or any other untoward behaviour be reported.

Naming the family does no good at all in my mind, before any legal matter is raised.

Also they should be working with this problem family to resolve the issue or remove them.

[littlegraftersmu]

I am a family member, it was sent in a text message to 20 or so other people with kids as we were joining the group I wondered I know It isnt Defamation or slander but I am not convinced it isnt Libel as it is in writing and I would like to think untrue?

[factor-fiction]

It does not seem to me to be a good idea but really we need to know the context. I don't know what you mean by 'family member' do you mean member of the family referred to, or do you mean you are a family member of the 'group' you refer to (whatever that is).
'Mark as best answer' isn't a user name , by the way- it appears on all our threads and is an invitation for you to mark an answer as 'best answer'

[sherrardk]

I wouldn't let this be, who knows who this person will texting about next?

[FredPuli43]

Don't think it is strictly illegal, nor even successfully actionable; it is a defence to an action for libel that the statement was issued with 'justification' viz. true.It is also a defence to say that the statement was issued as fair comment, which defence is generally used instead of justification (seemingly illogical, but who said lawyers were always logical ? It's because a fair comment may cover a statement which is not privably true in every particular)

But, professionally, it is extremely unwise and contrary to good practice.

[boingo]

I don't understand the exact situation but to name a child or family in a letter to other parents is a not right.

[factor-fiction]

sorry- a punctuation mark didn't appear so one sentence was probably unintelligible. I'm not pressing hard enough on this new keyboard

[pixie373]

At the very least, it's totally unprofessional. Although i am thinking of schools and don't know what "group" refers to.

[littlegraftersmu]

I realised Mark as best answer as soon as i pushed submit:-P
I am a family member referred.

[pixie373]

So this is about your family? What is the group? Are you trouble-makers?
I really can't see how a text like that would help at all. It's bizarre.

[littlegraftersmu]

The Person in question is responsible for teaching an dis the head of a particular section, it is not a day school but he is a member of a professional body and there are CP policies and codes of conduct placed by this National organisation, and we do pay him to teach our child.