TEACHERS warned today of endemic social media abuse towards staff, often without any repercussions.

Research by teaching union NASUWT unveiled at the union’s Welsh conference found nearly one in five teachers have reported adverse comments posted about them online by pupils and parents.

The trolling has included comments about their appearance and threatening behaviour, the survey of more than 1,000 members across England and Wales revealed.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates, said: “Online abuse is no longer the preserve of pupils but increasingly parents who don’t even bother to contact the schools with complaints but post them directly online, subjecting teachers to ‘trials by trolls’.

“The impact on teachers is misery, humiliation, ill health, loss of confidence and blighted careers.”

Ms Keates said education establishments must take this issue seriously and require schools not only to have a zero-tolerance policy but to use all the sanctions available to them to address the abuse.

The majority of teachers did report the abuse to their employer, police or the social network, but half of teachers reporting to their bosses said no action was taken.

The 23 per cent who said the pupil was disciplined or the parent was approached felt unsupported as it did not match the seriousness of the incident.

Nearly 70 per cent of those reporting to the police said no action was taken and three-quarters said the same of the social network.

NASUWT member Meredic Hallett said those who hurt people should be challenged and held accountable.

He said: “Peer-to-peer communication is fine and if we face honest criticism we can hopefully respond to that.

“But targeted abuse and hate mail in its various forms is another thing altogether.”