Teachers unable to enforce discipline in schools hope YouTube might enforce it for them

As part of the same technical cluelessness that has led judges in various territories to inadvertently ban YouTube nationwide, education secretary Alan Johnson is calling on YouTube to filter videos that bully pupils or demean teachers. According to Johnson "The online harassment of teachers is causing some to consider leaving the profession because of the defamation and humiliation they are forced to suffer".

Respect for a teacher from his or her pupils is earned by that teacher. It can't simply be demanded of the pupils (though heaven knows I saw it tried often enough, back in the day), and it certainly isn't within the gift of YouTube.

The Internet has democratised publishing, so that anyone - adult or child - can express their feelings on any subject. Apparently what children are choosing to use YouTube to express is contempt for their teachers. This is not a problem that can be solved by taking videos off YouTube. Perhaps the education minister's time would be better spent investigating what it is about their teachers that pupils find so contemptible that they are moved to ridicule them in a public forum.