RateMyTeachers

RateMyTeachers.com
Web address RateMyTeachers.com
Type of site
 Review Site
Owner Patrick Nagle
Created by Mister Message, LLC
Launched April 20, 2001 (2001-04-20)
Alexa rank
 50,537 (April 2014)[1]

RateMyTeachers.com (RMT) is a review site used to rate elementary and secondary school teachers and schools. Participants are asked to rate their teachers on a scale of 1 to 5 in the categories of easiness, helpfulness, knowledge, and clarity, with the latter two factoring into an "overall quality" score.[2] Individuals can also write brief comments on their experiences with the teachers. As of April 2010, over eleven million teachers had been graded on the website.

The site was launched in 2001 by Mister Message, LLC and later sold to former RateMyProfessors.com owner Patrick Nagle.[3] Although controversial, it currently operates websites in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

Controversy

RateMyTeachers.com is controversial in certain circles and many have questioned its approach. The site is open to the general public with no requirement to reveal their first or last name when commenting. This has led some to worry that those surfing the Internet can leave libellous comments without any repercussions to their own reputation. In 2007, the Queensland College of Teachers called for the shutdown of the page "until it can be established that it provides a credible service".[4] In 2003, the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) sought a court injunction to shut down the site, though the request was denied on free speech grounds. In April 2007 the British education secretary Alan Johnson said that the online harassment of teachers performed by sites such as RateMyTeachers.com needs to stop. This caused articles on RateMyTeachers by national and international press.[5]

RateMyTeachers.com claims that over 65% of ratings are positive.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Ratemyteachers.com Site Info". Alexa Internet. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
  2. ↑ http://www.ratemyteachers.com/faq
  3. ↑ Business Journal
  4. ↑ (pg. 5)
  5. ↑ "Ban cyber-bullying clips, Johnson to urge websites". The Guardian. 10 April 2007. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
  6. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions". Rate My Teachers. Retrieved 19 September 2014.

External links

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