Schools Create Rules for Parent WhatsApp Groups with Help from Lawyers

In order to assist monitor parent WhatsApp groups, schools are increasingly asking attorneys to create codes of behavior. 
Employers may be held accountable under the Employment Rights Bill, which is presently being discussed in the House of Lords, if they fail to take "all reasonable steps" to protect their employees from harassment. 
Teachers may be able to sue their employers under such a policy if they are subjected to abuse in parent WhatsApp groups. 
Schools are reportedly hurrying to have attorneys create codes of conduct for the online discussions in order to avoid potentially having to pay out to litigating employees. 

Headteachers are reportedly becoming increasingly concerned that they might be held accountable if parent WhatsApp groups are used to disseminate untrue rumors or racist and homophobic remarks about employees. 
And those worries have surfaced when parents of students frequently attend lessons together and create these WhatsApp groups, which typically do not even include teachers. 
Mischon de Reya, the head of the education group at the top law firm in the nation, told The Times that state and independent schools had consulted his firm about creating a code of behavior for parent organizations. 

"Schools are enforcing codes of conduct for parents because they are extremely concerned about the impact on staff and being held accountable for what has been said in class WhatsApp groups." Theoretically, the school should take action if a parent WhatsApp group was making a hostile or intimidating atmosphere for a teacher, such as by making egregiously homophobic remarks. 
Concerns have been raised about the potential dissemination of false information on these WhatsApp discussions in addition to abusive interactions. 
"Edapt, which also supports legal support for teachers, frequently supports staff where issues have escalated after misinformation or misunderstanding shared online," stated Alistair Wood, the organization's chief executive. 

"School leaders may be distracted from their primary responsibility of managing the school as a result of these situations, which can quickly undermine trust and take a long time to resolve." 
The Employment Rights Bill may be introduced shortly after two young children's parents were imprisoned for eleven hours in a police cell for using WhatsApp to voice their displeasure with the hiring procedure for teachers at their daughter's elementary school. 
A 'trivial' argument led to the arrest of Times Radio producer Maxie Allen and his companion Rosalind Levine on charges of harassment and malicious communications. 
"Dystopian" and a "massive overreach," Mr. Allen, 50, accused Cowley Hill Primary School in Borehamwood, Herts, of attempting to "silence awkward parents" with the police action.