Web Site Lets Utah Students Report School Bullies Online

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AikiRooster

Tube Monkey USMC
Good to see someone is using the brains.




SALT LAKE CITY — Hoping to combat the "snitch" label that often leads to silent suffering, six Utah schools have introduced a Web site that allows students to anonymously report bullies.

A Brigham Young University student, Justin Bergener, created the site, which also lets students post information about thefts, drugs and harassment.

Bergener said he hopes students who might otherwise be too scared or shy to speak up will be willing to post on the site.

"There really is this culture and code of silence that's particularly prevalent in middle schools and high schools," Bergener said.

Many students may not want to be seen in the office talking to an authority figure, said Rosanna Ungerman, principal of Provo's Dixon Middle School.

"It allows students to have an outlet and avenue to report things they might otherwise not have reported," Ungerman said.

Nearly 50 schools in other states are also using the Web site.

Here's how it works: School administrators are made aware of any tips either by e-mail or text message, Bergener said. For some schools, students have to create a logon and password to send a tip, but they still remain anonymous, though. But in most cases, schools allow anyone to send a tip with no need to give personal information.

"They'd rather have 10 good ones and one false one than none at all," Bergener told The Associated Press on Monday.

Bergener said his Web site is simply a third party that ships the tips along. SchoolTipline, which also has participating schools in Texas, Washington, California and Arizona, doesn't read the tips or reply to them. If a tip goes unread for a day or so, though, SchoolTipline reminds schools it's there.

The six Utah schools using the Web site include elementary, middle and high schools.

Even some parents have reported incidents anonymously, said Judy Runolfson, Lehi Junior High's assistant principal.

"There's a greater awareness that it's a situation that needs to be looked into right away because we know it can lead from something that's not that bad to something much worse," Runolfson said.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,437343,00.html
 
Back in my day I just learned martial arts and spent hours a day at the weight room. Which might be why I'm so short.
 
well, there is of course that drawback but I think its a good thing even with that weakness. I would say not to allow the anonymity so that you can make an example of the first bozo making the/a false claim. I also think its better than nothing. Currently, teachers are way too liberal and wouldn't be able to identify a true threat if one smacked them upside the head, at least thats the way I see it here in the USA.
 
WTFever As long as I don't start getting e-mail reports that I have to check out. Raising a generation of wussies and wimps IMHO.
 
to a point I understand that and agree, however, this may also be an attempt to avoid the Columbine type incidents from occurring.
 
major liability said:
Sounds good in theory, but it seems a bit exploitable if you want to get someone hassled with a false tip.
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If a person made an anonymous false accusation that they had been bullied, the case could not be substantiated and would be pointless. If it involved a third person, just ask that person to relate the details of the alleged bullying.

Either way false tips would fall on their bum.

The answer being, to make an example out of anyone proven to have abused the system in this manner.

In cases like Columbine, it's not the bully you need to fear, but the "wimp" who retaliates in a manner where he is able. Just because not everyone is a "jock" or able to defend themselves with their fists does not mean that they don't deserve to attend school without being assaulted.

They send the message, "Don't worry about the bully, but beware the "wimp" who is quite prepared to escalate as far as he needs to"
 
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It is the person being bullied that finally gets fed up and decides to one day shoot up the place that causes the fear, I think that is what is trying to be avoided with this policy.
 
There's one kid at my school who I am honestly somewhat scared that one day he's going to snap and go after something. The school is aware of the person, but... you can't even be nice to him, because he'll be rude to you. He has no friends and gets bullied a lot for a reason: he's a jack*ss.
 
I sailed with a bloke who was referred to (quietly) as "The mad axeman"

Although nothing was never proved, he was ona ship with a bloke who was found dead in his bunk after having been hit with a fireaxe. It was common knowledge that the bloke who was killed was a notorious "standover" man and that he used to give young George a hard time.

As Aiki says, if something was done early on, a lot of trouble could have been avoided.

By the time I knew Georgie he was 40 years older and weighed 250 lbs. A truly nice bloke.
 
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The world has a way of sorting itself out at times.
I have to admit, I only started not being such a damned loser until after I joined the Marines. Actually I think I'm doing pretty well in terms of the whole likability thing. In High School, I know what those guys who shot up the school at Columbine went through. It really sucks. It was only a matter of time before one of the millions of kids who got the serious sh*tcan from everyone else snapped and gunned down a bunch of assh*les. I guess the same thing goes with the guy who did VA Tech.
Basically it's what I've been saying. I don't understand suicide. Obviously someone or something has pushed you to that point. If you're going to die, take 'em out first. Or be patient and see where life takes you next.
I really wished those guys at Columbine realized that high school isn't the whole world. They just had to partake in underaged drinking, relax, chill out and graduate. LIfe's long and generally there's plenty of time and opportunity to turn it around.
 
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