Dear Harriet: I am writing this letter to add to my advice to mothers of children who are being cyberbullied and “cyberhazed.”
Based on my 20 years of experience teaching middle schools, I strongly encourage parents who find themselves in this situation to report it to the school immediately. Even if bullying begins online, it inevitably spills over into the school environment.
In my experience, cyberbullying disrupts learning and most public schools implement zero-tolerance policies for this reason, regardless of where the bullying begins. Digital content is easily shared on campus, allowing harassment to continue unchecked. Without adult intervention, bullying not only continues, but often escalates in severity.
Although they may not have broken any laws yet, teens are often unaware when their actions constitute criminal activity. By reporting now, you can prevent future incidents and educate bullies and their parents about serious legal consequences. I have seen minors face life-altering consequences, including being added to the sex offenders register, due to inappropriate social media posts used to bully.
Although the well-being of the bully is not the primary concern of parents of victims of bullying, early reporting can stop the behavior before it becomes a criminal act, and ideally, You can help your child change their behavior. Ignoring the situation reinforces the idea that you can act without consequences.
Please report this to the school immediately. Based on my years of education, I can almost guarantee that your daughter is not the only victim of bullying. Be an advocate for her and others by letting the school know right away. — Please report
Reporter: Thank you for your valuable feedback. We must protect our children in every way possible.
(Harriet Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative that helps people access and realize their dreams. Send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106).
