When a nasty Facebook page that invites children to bully others is “flooded” by students of a particular school, isolated punishments is not enough. The most important step in this circumstance is to investigate the school’s culture and ask the following question:
Why, with all the awareness about bullying, are our students engaged in spreading rumours and making sexual taunts?
GEELONG students have flooded a Facebook page built to spread sexual taunts, rumour and nasty gossip.
The page victimising students from years 7 to 12 at Oberon High School features swags of hurtful, bullying comments.
A parent said she became distressed after stumbling across the Facebook page earlier this week.
She said her child had been bullied at the school and she feared others would suffer emotional and social effects similar to her child.
“When I got on to the page and I just felt totally disgusted and really horrible because half of the kids on this page I know and you couldn’t get sweeter kids,” the woman, who asked for her identity to be withheld, said.
“They’re the kids that won’t speak up and say this is wrong so somebody has too.
“These types of things can have serious effects on kids.”
Oberon High School is investigating the page with acting principal Elizabeth Kelly saying the school, which was made aware of it on Tuesday, was in the process of speaking with students.
I am glad that the school has not washed their hands of this incident. They have a lot of work to do.
Click on the link to read my post about the downside of Facebook.
Tags: Bullying, Cyber Bullying, Downside of Facebook, Elizabeth Kelly, emotional and social effects of being bullied, facebook, Geelong, GEELONG students Facebook bullying, Kids using Facebook to bully, News, Oberon High School Facebook Bullying, School Culture, Speaking up against bullying
Topical Teaching 
June 28, 2012 at 6:40 pm |
If Facebook had to monitor their pages, delete this sort of material and bar the perpetrators that would be the end of it.
Michael is busy lately. Must be on holidays.
June 28, 2012 at 6:59 pm |
No, just finished reports and had a lighter week. Holidays from next week.
June 28, 2012 at 11:16 pm |
bullying cannot be tolerated, we can no longer say “kids are just cruel” coming from the land of Karen Klien, the bus monitor who was tormented for 15 minutes straight and NO ONE did anythiing to stop it.