Does Sherwood HS have a cyber bullying problem?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All schools and communities have this problem. It is insidious. Please understand this

I don’t disagree with you. However, does that mean it shouldn’t be addressed? Chalk it up to, “It’s everywhere. That’s just the way things are today with social media” ?

To quote from the older sister’s FB post, “ Unfortunately, this story is not one that is revolutionary or unheard of. Cyberbullying like this cannot be tolerated any longer. We as a society need to demand that people who participate in deliberate acts of hate be held accountable, regardless of their ‘promising athletic careers.’ Our schools, our sports teams, and our communities at large cannot let this go on.”

At the very least, the school should address the situation, as the hateful posts began months ago when school was in session. If the parents fill out the bullying form from the MCPS website, there is a protocol the school must follow to address the complaint.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All schools and communities have this problem. It is insidious. Please understand this

I don’t disagree with you. However, does that mean it shouldn’t be addressed? Chalk it up to, “It’s everywhere. That’s just the way things are today with social media” ?

To quote from the older sister’s FB post, “ Unfortunately, this story is not one that is revolutionary or unheard of. Cyberbullying like this cannot be tolerated any longer. We as a society need to demand that people who participate in deliberate acts of hate be held accountable, regardless of their ‘promising athletic careers.’ Our schools, our sports teams, and our communities at large cannot let this go on.”

At the very least, the school should address the situation, as the hateful posts began months ago when school was in session. If the parents fill out the bullying form from the MCPS website, there is a protocol the school must follow to address the complaint.

One of the messages encouraged her to jump off a bridge (kill herself). Not sure all communities have kids encouraging other kids to kill themselves and if we do then it needs to be brought to light. It has to stop.

[Anonymous]

Document and if needed, press charges. Contact social media companies when applicable
Too. They can get stuff down and block users.

[Anonymous]

Also I would skip the principal step at this point and go straight to the community superintendent or even the state education office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also I would skip the principal step at this point and go straight to the community superintendent or even the state education office.

After the Damascus case, I hope most parents skip the principal step. It's clear that MCPS admin will not readily take action. We have also found our Community Superintendent to be completely unresponsive.

Agree that it would be worth getting in touch with the State Education office.

I do hope the media picks this story up, if the students is okay with that. That was how the Damascus rape case finally got attention from MCPS. Otherwise, it was just a 'hazing incident' in MCPS leadership terms.

[Anonymous]

I believe you OP, but I can’t find any of this via Google. Can you post some links?

[Anonymous]

Sherwood is not the only high school with a bullying problem by student athletes. They are not the only MCPS high school where cyber bullying posts encouraged a student to kill him/herself.

At our high school, despite screen shots and completion of the Bullying and Harrasment form, nothing was done by the school to address the behavior of the athletes involved. Good luck. Fill out the Bullying and Harrasment form. Talk with the media. Hopefully there will be a wake up call to demand better behavior for students who want to participate in athletics. Hopefully there will be better training for coaches, ADs, and Principals to stop the bullying in MCPS schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe you OP, but I can’t find any of this via Google. Can you post some links?

This is the op. To be clear: I only posted the original post; I have not posted any other comments. The other comments seem to indicate that others in the area are aware.

I will not post links. Others have posted enough info for the purpose of discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just found out that it has been ongoing and that police might have been notified. It is terrible, happening for months. It might be only bully, not three, absolutely appalling.

The sister said in a FB comment that the police said they couldn’t do anything. I only know what I’m reading online, so maybe something more has happened since her comment. According to my child (Sherwood HS student), the IG account that posted the comments targeting the girl was a joint account shared by 3 boys (which has since been deleted, but not before the family got screenshots of the comments)

My DD said the same, that police can't do anything. Bully is connected to MCPD though. Funny, isn't it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just found out that it has been ongoing and that police might have been notified. It is terrible, happening for months. It might be only bully, not three, absolutely appalling.

The sister said in a FB comment that the police said they couldn’t do anything. I only know what I’m reading online, so maybe something more has happened since her comment. According to my child (Sherwood HS student), the IG account that posted the comments targeting the girl was a joint account shared by 3 boys (which has since been deleted, but not before the family got screenshots of the comments)

My DD said the same, that police can't do anything. Bully is connected to MCPD though. Funny, isn't it?

What does this mean?

[Anonymous]

We have seen over and over, for the past several years that MCPS does NOT care about student safety. They prove this again and again, whether it was the Damascus rape case, the Richard Montgomery security team leader incident, the Rockville HS case, the MS bus driver story.

It is insane that the school does not have a system in place to deal with this type of thing. MCPS can hold all the damn, useless forums it wants about inclusivity, but it means NOTHING when students are getting away with terrible behavior. We see it starting in the ES, and continuing to MS and it just gets worse.

I hear similar stories from so many other MCPS families. And, the common comment is that MCPS didn't really do anything about it.

[Anonymous]

I don't know why that poor girl was picked to be the target but didn't she just delete her Instagram page? Where were her parents in all this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know why that poor girl was picked to be the target but didn't she just delete her Instagram page? Where were her parents in all this?

That's the main issue - the parents. Many are not involved. Their kids are using social media, and they have no clue with whom they're communicating. It takes one screen shot of one impulsive move to ruin a kid. Some kid in my daughter's MS took a picture of her breasts! What in the world was she thinking?

And what about the kids posting about their suicidal thoughts? It suddenly becomes MY problem b/c my kids are showing me posts from disturbed kids in their circles. Why don't the parents step in?

So while schools need to be responsible for incidents that occur during the school day, they aren't society's therapists or police. This is why there's little teaching going on. too much "dollar-store therapy" instead

ridiculous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe you OP, but I can’t find any of this via Google. Can you post some links?

This is the op. To be clear: I only posted the original post; I have not posted any other comments. The other comments seem to indicate that others in the area are aware.

I will not post links. Others have posted enough info for the purpose of discussion.

I’m going to assume that this is a Sherwood insider topic/discussion, then. I feel too uninformed to comment other than to say all bullying is unacceptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know why that poor girl was picked to be the target but didn't she just delete her Instagram page? Where were her parents in all this?

That's the main issue - the parents. Many are not involved. Their kids are using social media, and they have no clue with whom they're communicating. It takes one screen shot of one impulsive move to ruin a kid. Some kid in my daughter's MS took a picture of her breasts! What in the world was she thinking?

And what about the kids posting about their suicidal thoughts? It suddenly becomes MY problem b/c my kids are showing me posts from disturbed kids in their circles. Why don't the parents step in?

So while schools need to be responsible for incidents that occur during the school day, they aren't society's therapists or police. This is why there's little teaching going on. too much "dollar-store therapy" instead

ridiculous

What about the boys' parents?