East Kingston Schools:

Cyberbullying incident prompts action

Cyberbullying incident at CMS prompts action

By Jennifer Feals
jfeals@seacoastonline.com
January 22, 2010 2:00 AM

The Cooperative Middle School is dealing with its first "significant cyber-bullying" incident by educating students on appropriate and acceptable uses of technology, said Principal Tom O'Malley.

"Some of our students recently used technology for purposes certainly we don't intend them to be used for," said O'Malley, who announced the incident in a letter posted on the CMS Web site Friday, Jan. 15.

Some CMS students used the social networking site Facebook in a way that violated the school's acceptable use policy, O'Malley said. For confidentiality reasons, the principal would not go into detail about what the incident entailed or how many students were involved.

"Cyber-bullying" is using technology — specifically computers and the Internet — to bully, threaten, intimidate or harass someone.

None of the acts took place on school grounds or during school hours, O'Malley said. However, the school has a duty and responsibility to inform, educate and warn of the dangers that come along with new technologies, especially those associated with social networking sites, he said.

"Most importantly, what we have to do, and I think we have a little catching up to do, is a whole lot of education," O'Malley said. "A lot of us adults are what I refer to as 'technology immigrants' and students, in some cases, are 'natives.' But as savvy as they are and as much as they know about technology, there's a lot of things out there that, if they're not careful, can get them in trouble."

CMS is planning school-based forums on the appropriate, acceptable uses of technology, and how students can avoid trouble and stay safe, O'Malley said. The school is also planning to provide opportunities for parents to learn more about Internet safety.

The CMS principal said these forums have not yet been scheduled, but those interested should stay tuned to the school's Web site. The information will also be released through the local media.

"It's important for us to teach our children the ramifications of bullying and how to avoid it — how not to be a victim and how not to be a bully — and the seriousness that the school's take these behaviors into consideration," O'Malley said.