Report school bullying anonymously

Florida is joining other states in making it easier to report bullying at school. The Hillsborough County School District has created a web page where students can anonymously report bullying of any type. The goal is to chip away at the culture of secrecy that surrounds bullying.

A recent incident at a Florida middle school focused the school district’s attention on its anti-bullying policy. A 13-year-old boy was allegedly  bullied for weeks by classmates. He was then attacked in a locker room where he was repeatedly assaulted with a broom handle and hockey stick. Three 14-year-old boys and one 15-year-old were charged as adults with sexual battery.

Photo by Eddie-S (Flickr)

Students and parents will be able to make a report on the school web site that will be constantly monitored. All reports will be investigated and when a bullying case is confirmed, it will be noted in the student’s record as “bullying” and not just simply “inappropriate behavior” as in the past.

Some of Florida’s schools have posters that list the web site address and encourage students to report bullying. If you can do so without anyone knowing your name, why not report it when you see it? Maybe you can save someone from a traumatic experience or even their life.

To learn more about the consequences of mean-spirited and cruel comments in cyberspace, take a look at Jeffrey Johnston’s story here. The loss of Jeffrey helped bring about the “Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for Students Act” (2008) in Florida requiring public schools to implement anti-bullying policies.

For information about bullying while at work, see:  http://askthejudge.info/what-if-im-bullied-at-work/203/