Local school asks parents to monitor social media amid cyber-bullying

 

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind.-- One Michiana school is calling on parents to monitor their children's social media to stop the cyber-bullying that they say is on the rise.

A letter went home to parents from New Prairie Middle School, stating they've seen an uptick in the past few weeks of kids being mean to other kids online.

ABC57 spoke to the principal, Justin Holmquest, who says it's happening on Snapchat and TikTok.

"Students were creating videos, I think they're following trends they're probably seeing on those apps,” he said, “but they're taking photos of classmates and then asking their followers or whoever is following those accounts, to comment on their appearance."

The trouble is, he said the account is anonymous, so school administrators don't actually know who's behind it to properly discipline the bullying.

The letter home was meant to make parents aware of what is going on. That way, he hopes, parents will check their students' phones and maybe stop any unkind behavior before it continues.

"It does make our job pretty difficult because traditionally, if you had an issue with somebody, it ended when the school day ended,” Holmquest said. “But with social media and the use of cell phones and technology, it's 24/7, 365."

In the letter home to parents, Holmquest said they've seen social media issues across every grade level this year.