PA
Teachers are coming under online attack from parents and pupils, with one headmaster being driven to the brink of suicide, a new report has found.
The study, which was conducted by researchers at Plymouth Business School for UK Safer Internet Centre, found that more than one in three school teachers had been bullied online, with more than a quarter of the attacks being perpetrated by parents.
Facebook groups created solely as a form of abuse was one of the most common ways in which teachers were targeted.
Professor Andy Phibben, one of the report's researchers, said you expect a 'little bit of abuse' from children - but added: 'When parents launch 12 month campaigns of abuse you have to think, 'Something is wrong'.
'Parents are saying, 'You gave my child a bad grade, I'm going to give you a slating on Facebook' - it is something that is growing and growing.'
One headmaster - who contemplated suicide when the bullying became so bad - revealed how his life was made a misery by a vengeful father: 'A parent set up a Google group and devoted it to saying unpleasant things about me. I started off as 'the Head' and then he started referring to me just by my surname.
'He invited other parents to join in. I eventually had a breakdown and became suicidal.'
The report said it 'questioned' the role of a website where 'pupils can freely post slanderous and abusive material about a member of the teaching profession and threats of violence towards them.'
What do you think? Have you seen teachers and other school staff targeted on Facebook? Do you think more should be done to protect them?