Should I start on my website now?

Legally, can you start a website that holds cooperating teachers accountable?

• Okay, in a "nutshell".... I barely survived my student teaching experience because of a cooperating teacher from hell... She did everything in her power to fail me. Fortunately, my University saw right through this idiot teacher and bypassed her failing grade. I then went on a teacher's website to share my story with other student teachers who have struggled with the same thing. I could not believe how many co-operating teachers try to flunk their student teachers. It is heart-wrenching! Anyway, I want to know legally if I could start a website much like, "Rate Your Professor.com" and call it: "Rate Your Cooperating Teacher.com" for student teachers. It would actually list the teacher from "hell" along with which school, and address. Why? So that for once, teachers can be held accountable in situations like this! There are no checks and balances for a college to use any old teacher they can find. This website would at least give student teachers a way to "boycott" a teacher who is rated very low on my website. Now, is it okay to list the person's actual name? Could a person get into "libel" problems? It would be such an asset to future teacher candidates at a college -- and, for once, bad teachers will be weeded out. Any legal problems? Thanks!

• Answer:

  You can create the site and you would be subject to the libel laws. It's really not worth the risk.