17 June 2009
What happened?
A secondary school student obtained a male teacher's email address and used it to register on inappropriate websites, including those of a pornographic nature. The teacher became aware of this when he received confirmation emails from the websites and reported the matter to the police. He believes that the student did this because he had been put on detention.
What should I do if this happens to me?
- Report the incident to a senior manager (eg head teacher) and the e-safety co-ordinator at your school - they should conduct a prompt investigation. It is recommended that you make the report in writing and copy in your trade union representative.
- If the investigation finds that a student (or a group of students) is involved in the incident, they should be disciplined in line with the school's disciplinary procedures in areas such as anti-bullying and acceptable use of ICT equipment and reported to the police.
- School guidelines should be followed in terms of informing the student's parents.
- If the school's investigation fails to determine who obtained the email address, report the matter to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and ask them to investigate. They'll be able to advise you whether you should also report the matter to the police.
- Your senior management team should offer you adequate emotional and practical support during the process. If they don't, contact your teaching union for assistance. You can find contact details for the UK teaching unions here.