Isabella Sanchez’16, Meredith Warchol ’15: From small private institutions to large public schools across the country, the growing presence of social media on campuses is causing an array of problems among students. The Episcopal Academy is now joining other schools in choosing to take what happens to students online as seriously as they take incidents that occur in person. With regards to both minor infractions as well as other more serious incidents of online bullying, most schools have begun creating stricter policies. EA is rightfully stepping up their 24/7-discipline policy and honing in on harassment over social media.
Some students find school involvement as an invasion of privacy and a poor use of time, believing that incidents off-campus should not lead to school intervention. Cheryl McLauchlan, VI Form Dean and Upper School math teacher explained, “We, fortunately or unfortunately, are a small community. What each one of us does impacts the rest of us. So when one of us is saying bad things about another, it impacts the whole school. It’s not just three kids.” McLauchlan correctly notes that school involvement instances of cyberbullying is essential to preserving a safe community at EA, which can be easily jeopardized by tensions between students. In addition, a lack of school intervention in these harassment situations can be viewed as unsupportive to the victim and may, in turn, promote more bullying due to retaliations.
Photo courtesy of Jenna Cooley ’16
This necessary protocol, though still filled with grey areas, has become more proactive. A more formal definition of what constitutes bullying has been added on pages 36 and 37 of the student handbook that states, “Bullying/cyberbullying: Means intentional and repeated harmful or intimidating words, acts or other behaviors committed against another student.” Dr. Delvin Dinkins, Head of Upper School, explained the complicated nature of incidents over social media by stating, “It is probably a lot cleaner if such behavior were to happen on campus or with our technology…It gets a little bit dicier when it happens over the summer, or if it was a year ago, or if it was unclear where it began and where it ended.” Each situation is different and must be handled with the appropriate punishment or necessary actions. With a more defined outline of what constitutes bullying and harassment this year, the hope is to make students cease their hurtful activities online.
Fortunately preventative measures, along with reactive, have been put in place to address this growing issue. As seen in the past, EA has tried to educate the acceptable uses of technology; unfortunately, as McLauchlan pointed out in regards to assemblies, “After 5 minutes, those people are not listening because…those people think that it could never happen to them.” It is true that the way to reach students is not with a slew of assemblies, advisory meetings, and lectures. Though it is hoped that means of communication by teachers and parents such as these will continue, a true change of mindset for the student body can only come from the students themselves. McLauchlan suggested, “It has to come from ‘that’s a bad idea’. It has to come from one of your friends saying ‘that’s just dumb.’ That is the only way to stop it, to make people realize that it’s just mean.” In the mean time, schools cannot turn a blind eye to the harm already done, and it is honorable that EA has done their part.
In an age where poking fun at people and exposing their flaws online is often viewed as funny or comical, schools including EA, are forced to act. There are only so many possible solutions to this problem, and there is an overwhelming need for a solution that will best benefit our community. Dinkins put it best, stating, “We are expecting that students will say ‘Even though I could be anonymous and say something rude, or harmful, or bad, I am going to choose this road, which is a lot more positive.” It is ultimately up to us, the students, to change, and until then we commend EA for being willing to take the necessary actions to create a safe and enjoyable environment for all.