The Dark Side of Social Networking...

I am not into social networking via Facebook, My Space, or Twitter, however I am not necessarily opposed to it either. I do have a LinkedIn account and have connected with lots of friends and colleagues on that professional network, but I just can't bring myself to the more social realm of Facebook or any of the other sites like it. I fully recognize the power of such sites for reconnecting and keeping in touch but I am increasingly concerned about the abuse of this excellent tool especially by young people. Unfortunately, many teens see it as their private space, which of course, it is anything but. Moreover, many see it as a vehicle for venting or criticizing others in the relative "safety" of cyberspace. Some of this behavior has led to an apparent "piling on" mentality with dozens of individuals chiming in with often hurtful or hateful comments directed at other individuals or groups. Virulent comments and personal attacks amount to harassment and in some cases when they occur persistently and over time, bullying. Most recently, this behavior contributed to the tragic suicide of a young student in South Hadley, Massachusetts. This is clearly unacceptable.

In their defense, students who engage in this disturbing behavior argue that what they post on various social networking sites is protected speech under the First Amendment, however I do not believe that the argument is valid. Over the years the courts have demonstrated that the right to free expression is, in fact, limited and that the Constitution does not protect hateful, defamatory, libelous, or disruptive speech or actions. So what is thought to be rightful expression of one's opinion is actually criminal harassment.

My biggest problem is that what most often happens outside of school in cyberspace through the use of an individual's personal computer and Internet access frequently invades the school with more direct and, unfortunately, more physical versions of what has occurred online. When that happens, it is almost always disruptive to the learning environment and the safety of individuals in the building. More specifically, it significantly impacts and interferes with the victim's right to an education and therefore violates a variety of school harassment policies. As a Principal, I take my responsibility to intervene in such cases very seriously and am determined to take appropriate steps to stop it. Beyond that, as a school community, I believe we need to take a stand condemning such behavior not only because it is wrong and illegal, but because it has such a detrimental effect on our otherwise positive school culture.

Soon the Massachusetts General Assembly will enact new legislation outlawing cyberbullying, giving schools and the police more responsibility and more authority to stop such behavior. This legislation was in the pipeline long before the tragic events in South Hadley, which now only serve to underscore the urgent need to take action to prevent any further personal suffering and tragic loss of young lives.

In the coming months, in conjunction with the Chatham Police Department, the Barnstable County Sheriff's Department, and the District Attorney's Office, we will be providing opportunities for teachers, students and parents to learn more about this growing problem and how to prevent it.

As always, I would like to know what you think.