The bully’s classic come on line, “Meet me after school,” used to be enough to inspire terror in the hearts of school kids unlucky enough to be the target of a bigger kid’s wrath.  Although a schoolyard brawl was nothing to brag about (unless you happened to be the winner) the lingering effects of the fight were negligible and could be easily forgotten.

If only it were still so simple.

These days cyberbullying—the use of technology to harass, threaten, embarrass or target another person—is on the rise among underage kids, and lends a more sinister aspect to the playground bullying of the past because of its long-lingering presence on Facebook pages, cell phone memories or personal blogs.  Comments can range from mildly offensive to downright nasty.

“Most times, it’s unfiltered comments,” said Hommocks Middle School Assistant Principal Dr.Nora Mazzone, continuing, “For the girls, it can be derogatory things about weight or dress…. occasionally it will be used to ostracize someone.”

And, what kids might be intimidated to say to someone’s face, can be launched as a full-throttle attack when they’re not staring someone in the face or seeing their reaction, said Mazzone.

Particularly in middle school—a time when kids are struggling with establishing themselves socially and figuring out who their real friends are—the barbs can be a little more painful. And, writing something that they may not mean later also matches the developmental impulsivity of middle school kids, said Mazzone.

“Facebook is more challenging for kids to negotiate than older kids,” Mazzone said, adding that the guidance office at Hommocks sees kids on Monday morning who were upset by something posted about them on Facebook over the weekend.

Sometimes though, parents may need to get involved when it comes to removing hurtful or mean comments.

“In the majority of cases, once parents are aware, they make efforts to have kids remove it,” said Mazzone.  Some parents, however, may not acknowledge that their child is capable of posting the kind of nasty remarks that prompt parental involvement.

Seeking to raise awareness of this growing problem, Mazzone along with Mamaroneck High School Assistant Principal Steve Frasene co-authored a grant to the Mamaroneck Schools Foundation for funding of the project.

Through the $15,000 grant, there will be a series of workshops beginning on Dec. 14 to educate teachers, students and the community at large about cyberbullying.  A national expert witness on the legalities of online behavior, Katie Koestner, will speak to approximately 250 district staff members the afternoon of Dec. 14 and will address the community that night at 7 p.m. in McLain Auditorium.

“I’m hoping that we pack the house,” said Mazzone about the Dec. 14 workshop.

“This is a great opportunity for people to be at the forefront.”

On Dec. 15, there will be a series of six workshops at Hommocks that will be both grade and gender specific.

“We know age and gender are significant variables in online behavior,” said Mazzone.

Prior to taking part in the workshops, students who have received parental permission will participate in an anonymous electronic survey the week of Dec. 5 about their awareness of and/or experiences with cyberbullying.  The survey will be administered again on Jan. 15 to measure “differences in perception” after the workshops. 

There will also be online webinars that staff and community members can register for; information on this will be handed out at the workshops.  For more information you can visit the district website here.

“We’d like to make everyone as informed as possible,” said Mazzone.