AQW 5410/16-21

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 14/10/2016
Answered On Date: 28/10/2016
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education whether there are policies in place to support teachers and schools that have received personal attacks through social media.

Answer:

The Department of Education is not the employer of teachers. The responsibility for the health, safety and wellbeing of teachers rests with their employers, their Board of Governors, in conjunction with the employing authority where relevant.

Teachers’ Health and Wellbeing is a matter of the utmost importance. The teachers’ health and safety working group of the Teachers’ Negotiating Committee (TNC), meets regularly to discuss ongoing issues, including Social Media concerns, and the way forward.

Guidance on any abusive behaviour against teachers can be found in Circular TNC 2011/2.