Pupil suspended after Twitter comment

For a man who said he should be judged by his results I have one question: When are you going?

By Bishopbriggs Boy. Posted November 10 2009 at 1:47 PM.

What a pompous arrogant man!!

I went to Bishopbriggs Academy and Molesdale was and is a horrid, patronising little man, the previous head teacher was much nicer and dare I say much better at his job.

Why was he on a pupil's twitter in the first place!? The comments were made out of school and weren't threatning so why should he care or even have the right to have a say in the matter.

His pride has obviously been dented and I think it's absolutely hilarious the "farting teacher" is now in national news!

If he hadn't made such a big deal about it, it would not have been in the paper and the only people that knew about the comments would have been those that made them!

The fact that the pupil is a prefect shows he isn't someone who messes about, and I'm sad that one even apologised in the first place it's completely within their right to say as they please about who they want - they haven't threatened him or said anything sinister, it was a joke!

People fart, who cares he's obviously been embarressed about the incident since he's taking it to such extremes. Exclude a pupil for what they say on twitter - ridiculous, I want Molesdale to make an apology to the pupil for it.

I remember Molesdale saying to us in high school once to watch what we say online (this is bebo that he was talking about) as he knows the links to some of our sites and looks at them. Creepy or what?

By Anon. Posted November 10 2009 at 12:36 AM.

This may be a childish element but there is no need to suspend someone over something this silly.

"One lad wrote a grovelling apology" I say man up and stand upto the head teacher. REVOLT REVOLT!!!

By Anon. Posted November 9 2009 at 4:05 PM.

Alex.

I completely disagree with you. the article says they have been exchanging remarks with each other, they are probably only intended on just chatting to each other. ok, the remarks found were a little too destructive. But suspension to one and letting the other off just by one twitter post of what an called an "apology" is a little unfair. Furthermore I don't see why would any teacher invade pupil's privacy like that. Twitter is a public site, but can also be for people who just want to chat to each other, that's why there's a public feature,so profiles can be protected from the public to view.
I therefore deem the article is fair as the headteacher has token too far on this and changed a minor issue to somewhat bigger rather than concentrate on the importance of pupils' education.

By Andrew. Posted November 9 2009 at 2:24 AM.

I used to be a pupil at a school Gordon worked in before becoming headteacher at Bishopbriggs. Due to that, I reckon any opinion I have on this would be seen as biased. Can't see what driving a Porsche has to do with anything though...........

However, the whole "Twitter" debate is an interesting one. We see people being fired for Facebook comments, sportsmen severely censured for things they tweet and such like. Is it really an invasion of privacy or a censoring of free speech? The minute you put it on a site like that, it becomes something others will see, not just a private conversation.

Where do we draw the line? Punishment can be administered for admissions made in biographies, or posted in some sort of blog or on youtube. If these pupils had been saying this in school and heard by a teacher, they'd be punished for it. If they put this on some sort of flyer and posted it around the school, they'd be punished. Why should they be so easily allowed to post things on a largely public website with no fear of recrimination? We may have some forms of freedom in what we can say, but there's no fundamental difference between putting this on Twitter or spreading it around the school. It might not have reached as many people, but it's clearly something you just don't do if you can't face the potential consequences.

There's a slightly childish element to the whole thing, definitely, but I find the article somewhat unfair.

By Alex. Posted November 8 2009 at 11:01 PM.

Dear Karen Eliot

Keep your ridiculous opinion to yourself, if you can't think, don't try.

By Unnamed. Posted November 8 2009 at 7:33 PM.

What was any teacher doing looking for young people's internet conversations on the web? Sinister at best.
What a pompous ass - excluding a pupil for slagging him out of school? What does this guy think pupils say about teachers when they're out of school? The headteacher should seek help.

By Behaviour King. Posted November 8 2009 at 4:57 PM.

omg how pathetic. karen eliot come on get a sense of humour. wow he slagged him off for covering up a fart - get a grip. I think this boys education is alot more important than a head teacher getting a red face. okay he should say sorry but the head should get a life....

By Gail Hamilton. Posted November 8 2009 at 10:24 AM.

Its an ill wind that blows through this school.

By brainsmasher. Posted November 8 2009 at 4:43 AM.

A head teacher has a perfect right to require that pupils show respect, on or off school premises. Teachers' authority is under attack from all sides. The pupil who apologised unreservedly was correct to so so. The one who didn't is facing the consequences. And the "relative" who is upset should remember that while education is a "right" then respect is a responsibility, and should reflect on the consequences of undermining respect for the school. Bishopbriggs Academy is one of Scotland's top state schools. If a boy can't cope with the rules, there are no doubt lesser places his loving parents can send him to.

By Karen Eliot. Posted November 8 2009 at 1:56 AM.