Do you tell the school about cyberbullying?

[Anonymous]

Newbie here. Middle schooler being flooded with mean comments from another kid on social media about her appearance and mentioning ways she acts in school. Daughter has a hard time fitting in. Kid is a known bully. WWYD? Do we tell the school? Contact parents? Do nothing? Daughter wants to tell a trusted teacher.

[Anonymous]

Definitely tell someone at the school and take screenshots. Document. Make an appointment with school counselor or head of middle school. Asap.

[Anonymous]

Screenshot it all, and if your daughter wants to tell a trusted teacher encourage her to do that. It's great that there is someone she feels safe to report to as school and also that she wants to seek help herself. Then you should follow up with the teacher and admin after she's talked to the teacher to understand how the school responds to what I assume are outside of school/ not on school device incidents.

Also take proactive steps at home by teaching your daughter how to block people on social media and make sure you are actively monitoring her online presence, if you aren't already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Newbie here. Middle schooler being flooded with mean comments from another kid on social media about her appearance and mentioning ways she acts in school. Daughter has a hard time fitting in. Kid is a known bully. WWYD? Do we tell the school? Contact parents? Do nothing? Daughter wants to tell a trusted teacher.

yes take screen shot and send to school and ask to remain anonymous - bullying is bad always especially if your kid struggles socially

[Anonymous]

I did have to report something once when my then sixth grader was coming home in tears everyday and found very mean messages from another student who was targeting her. The last straw was when she sent a threatening text that my child was going to “pay for it” and that the other student would “do shit.”

I think having your daughter start by thing a trusted teacher makes sense. I might still consider reporting it directly to an administrator depending sing on how bad it is.

[Anonymous]

No to administration not teacher

[Anonymous]

I think you should take it to the administration but still encourage your daughter to tell the trusted teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Definitely tell someone at the school and take screenshots. Document. Make an appointment with school counselor or head of middle school. Asap.

Documentation is VERY important. Schools are understandably reluctant to act on hear-say/anecdotal accounts, but they are more likely to act given credible documentation.

Please do understand, even if school takes action, then this kind of cyberbullying might just move underground to some platform where you cannot see it, but where it still continues to target DC. DC ought to brace for this possibility.

[Anonymous]

Thanks all for the helpful advice!

[Anonymous]

Yes, screenshot and tell

[Anonymous]

Document and go to the administration. My kids’ middle school would absolutely take disciplinary action on the bully. Suspension and a stern promise to expel on the next offense.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Tell the school. Ask that you and your kid not be identified and demand action against the bully.

[Anonymous]

A decent child should be blocking anyone on SM who engages in online bullying.

One bully is easy to deal with. Why is a large portion of the community joining in and supporting the bullying ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely tell someone at the school and take screenshots. Document. Make an appointment with school counselor or head of middle school. Asap.

Documentation is VERY important. Schools are understandably reluctant to act on hear-say/anecdotal accounts, but they are more likely to act given credible documentation.

Please do understand, even if school takes action, then this kind of cyberbullying might just move underground to some platform where you cannot see it, but where it still continues to target DC. DC ought to brace for this possibility.

I am the one above at top who said to document and tell admin or counselor.
The Pps concern directly above won’t happen if you block the bullies online and your child doesn’t use public platforms. Monitor and reduce all social media and texts. Plan things irl with people that are kind friends. Keep you own kid busy and away from screen where this is happening. Keep things positive in their home life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely tell someone at the school and take screenshots. Document. Make an appointment with school counselor or head of middle school. Asap.

Documentation is VERY important. Schools are understandably reluctant to act on hear-say/anecdotal accounts, but they are more likely to act given credible documentation.

Please do understand, even if school takes action, then this kind of cyberbullying might just move underground to some platform where you cannot see it, but where it still continues to target DC. DC ought to brace for this possibility.

I am the one above at top who said to document and tell admin or counselor.
The Pps concern directly above won’t happen if you block the bullies online and your child doesn’t use public platforms. Monitor and reduce all social media and texts. Plan things irl with people that are kind friends. Keep you own kid busy and away from screen where this is happening. Keep things positive in their home life.

All of that is good, but the underground social media still might be used to make a student the target of widespread bullying in school when faculty are not in earshot, on the bus, or elsewhere.

Another good move is for DC to have/build more friendships outside of school in some separate social circle.