Rise in teachers targeted for abuse online

The survey revealed that 60 per cent of the 1,500 teachers questioned reported having had adverse or abusive comments posted about them on social media sites by both parents and pupils. This is a prominent rise from the 21 per cent that the same survey found last year.

Chris Keates, general secretary of NASUWT, said: "The NASUWT has campaigned tirelessly for many years to highlight the need to protect teachers from the abuse of social media by pupils and parents. It is deeply worrying to see that the abuse of teachers has risen by such a huge margin this year."

Abuse is mainly seen in the form of sexist, racist, homophobic or highly offensive language, while remarks concerning teachers' appearance, sexuality and competence are also on the up. Another unfortunate trend that the survey unveiled was the growth in videos and photographs taken of teachers unknowingly and posted online without consent.This figure rose of 28 per cent in 2014 to 36 per cent this year.

Keates went on to issue advice for the next government, stating: "An incoming Government must take this issue seriously and require schools not only to have a zero-tolerance policy, but to use all the sanctions available to them to address the abuse of staff."

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