The father of a student disciplined for posting negative remarks about teachers on the Internet says the school went too far in its punishment.

Five Grade 8 students from Willowbrook Public School in Thornhill have been banned from a year-end trip to Montreal because of comments posted on Facebook.com, a social networking site.

David Koch, father of disciplined student Bram Koch, said the school essentially invaded his "property" by looking at what his son wrote.

"My son was not involved with any school activity, it was not on school grounds, nor was any school equipment used," Koch told CTV Newsnet.

"He was sitting at home in the basement. Now that, as far as I'm concerned, is my turf. Now when he goes on the Internet, yes, it's arguable that a part of him is out there. But if that's the case, then a part of school went into my house, and the moment they did that, they crossed a boundary."

Last December, his son wrote a message to friends on Facebook.com joking that he saw his science teacher masturbating in class.

Koch said that his son's comments were "totally inappropriate," but that because he's only 14 years old his remarks should be placed in the context of his young age.

Kathleen Wynne, Ontario's education minister, said the issue shows that schools need to educate students about privacy issues on the Internet.

"We have to have the conversation about what's private, what's public, what are the protocols, what are the rules, because I think it's very unclear," she told The Canadian Press.

"We need to realize that these technologies exist, and we need to be realistic that they're not going away, and we need to help our students to deal with them."

Bram Koch told The Toronto Star that he did not meant to cause others harm by his remarks. He said there were as many as 30 students conversing on the site, some of whom were posting anonymously.

He also said derogatory remarks made about other teachers, including one about a phys-ed teacher who "gives masturbating tips."

Toronto has the highest number of Facebook users in the world, with a network roughly twice as large as New York.

Ontario recently introduced a bill that lists bullying -- including cyber-bullying -- as an infraction for which suspension must be considered.

School principal Kelly Fassel sent a letter about the "misuses of the Internet" to the parents of 20 students last week.

"There were some inappropriate comments made about teachers," Fassel said Monday. "I guess it calls respect into the forefront that this has been a disrespectful action (and) its caused embarrassment."

Fassel added that schools in York region have safe schools, respectful workplace and appropriate use of the Internet policies. It is her responsibility to enforce those policies and Fassel believes they were all broken in this case.

Parents were asked to meet with her about their children's conduct and that's where Fassel explained at least five of the teens would not be welcome on next month's two-day trip to Montreal.

Koch said he doesn't believe the school's punishment fits the crime. His son has since written and posted an apology to the teachers involved online. Despite that, the school says it's sticking with the decision to ban him from the Montreal trip.

A number of students in the Toronto area have been suspended recently over comments posted on Facebook.

Last month, five teenagers from Birchmount Park Collegiate in Scarborough were suspended for writing inappropriate remarks about staff. A student protest days later led to the arrests of four boys who allegedly threw objects at police.

In February, 19 students from Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School in Caledon East were suspended after complaining online about school policies relating to cellphone use. They blamed the principal for a board-wide policy.

And in Quebec this past week, at least five students were suspended from St. Thomas High School in Pointe Claire for comments on Facebook. The posts were discovered by a teacher at the school.

The students ranged from Grades 8 to 11. Unconfirmed reports suggest the comments may have been racist and that one teacher was called a pedophile.

"We must make sure that everybody understands that they are responsible for what they say and for what they do," Nancy Hain, of the Lester B. Pearson School Board, told CTV Montreal.

"You don't get a free pass on the Internet."

With a report from CTV's MairiAnna Bachynsky