Cyber bullies suspended
A COLLEGE has taken a zero tolerance stance on cyber bullies after suspending two girls for creating an Internet hate group about another pupil.
The George Farmer Technology and Language College, Holbeach, suspended the two students for a week after they created the group on social networking site Facebook.
Headteacher Steve Baragwanath said the college does not tolerate bullying of any kind, and will take a strong stance against students using the Internet to make their victims' lives a misery.
"This type of bullying is appalling and will not be tolerated in the slightest," he said on Friday.
The incident, involving year ten and 11 pupils, came to light a fortnight ago when the victim's parent made a complaint to the college.
The two students were suspended later the same day after the parent was encouraged by the college to make a formal complaint to police.
Mr Baragwanath said officers spoke to the girls concerned and supported the college's decision.
Pupils who joined the hate group or commented on it were reprimanded, with letters from police sent to their parents warning them that cyber bullying was unacceptable.
Mr Baragwanath spoke to pupils associated with the group, and sent a letter to all parents urging them to monitor their child's actions on Facebook and other similar sites. He also highlighted the issue in assembly.
He said: "I've asked the pupils how they would feel if a site like this was set up about them and they went very quiet. They realise it is wrong and they understand the school takes this very seriously."
"There are 920 kids at the college and unfortunately they are not nice to each other all the time. We try and teach them to be pleasant to each another and make them fully aware bullying will not be tolerated."
Police will be visiting the school in the New Year to give a presentation about the dangers of the Internet and students' responsibilities when using it.
Another school to get tough on hi-tech cruelty was Spalding High School which suspended two girls last year after posting a video of a student of social networking site Bebo and making cruel remarks.
Spalding sector Inspector Paul Timmins said: "This is something we take very seriously and are working with the schools to try and stamp out.
"We need to get the message across that it's not just bullying, it could lead to offences under the Misuse of Communications Act. This sort of thing can enter the realms of malicious communications and improper use.
"Cyber-bullying is coming up more and more as it's the nature of the world we live in. People used to get picked on on the school bus but now we communicate in other ways.
"It has a huge impact on the victim as all of a sudden the problem they thought they had with one person is being spread around the whole school."
Insp Timmins also said parents should monitor their child's use of the Internet, by limiting the amount of time spent using it and checking the sites visited.
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Weather for Spalding
Saturday 04 February 2012
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Temperature: -1 C to 2 C
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