SEATTLE – School doesn't end for kids when the bell rings. Technology takes what is going on in class or outside of school and brings it into the home.
That includes bullying at school turning into cyberbullying online.
Matt Gillingham, Director of Student Services for Lake Washington School District, says when one kid posts something negative about another student it can have a snowball effect.
"Other students quickly jump on the bandwagon with other hurtful harmful comments," said Gillingham.
Sometimes kids don't know what affect they are having when they engage in cyberbullying.
"They tend not to realize how much their words and actions are affecting others and maybe they don't mean to but they end up bullying someone," said Amy Ainsworth, a teacher and mother.
She also says the cyber world is hardest on the 7th and 8th grade girls.
"You just have to be so cautious of what you say what you do. I try to give a little bit of that advice and remind them not to put any important info online don't share any of that," said Ainsworth.
While navigating this cyber age can be difficult for parents, Gillingham has these suggestions.
- Talk to your children about what's appropriate online and monitor their online activity.
- If cyber bullying occurs, don't erase posts or texts that can be used as evidence in an investigation.
- Parents are asked to make sure they report any incidents of cyberbullying to the school immediately.
Washington state has laws that allow schools to get involved when cyberbullying disrupts the educational environment or when there is a harmful effect on a student.
