How is this cyber-bullying?

Question

I am a Senior in High School and, like most Seniors, have a Facebook account.

After a long night, I logged on to find a girl in our grade spouting hate speech towards gays and blacks, challenging female classmates to fight her, threatening to stab other classmates, etc.

Initially amused, I took screencaps to save them. She had a tendency of covering her tracks by deleting anything that could be brought to the schoolboard as harassment, threats of violence, etc. So, in an act of boredom, I put all these screencaps of her tirades together in one magnificent collage of estrogen-fueled female hormonal hatred.

Because a friend had heard about these tirades at school, she requested that I send her screencaps so she knew what I was talking about. So, naturally, I sent her the screenshots of her belligerent, drunken online arguments (by the way, we're all underaged, and she explicitly mentioned she was drunk and "didn't give a ____").

Unfortunately, the classmate who had those fights was the ex best-friend of the person I sent those screenshots to. The classmate hacked into her Facebook account, went through her messages and saw the shots I had sent to her. The classmate promptly printed them all out and turned them into the Administration office at my school. Now I'm the one in trouble.

I admit that it may not have been the best decision for me to have sent them to that friend. I understand that. But how is it that I now face a possible 2-week suspension for merely screenshotting HER own drunken arguments threatening people with knives, talking about torture, calling girls a slew of inappropriate names, and challenging just about any female to a fight?

How is this fair?

Answer 1

You should not be in trouble at all.

This girl was the one going crazy over fb and you were simply saving the proof.

That is ridiculous.

Answer 2

Actually, I think that if you sent those screen shots as a private message (essentially like an email) then I don't think they can legally do much to you. You were not trying to create a hostile atmosphere (which is what bullying is); you were trying to figure out what to do about someone else who was creating a hostile atmosphere. You did not put this into a public forum nor did you do this in school on a school computer (hopefully); you sent a private message outside the school system.



If your private messages are being read, then your rights to privacy are being violated. (See link below)



If the person to whom you sent those private messages is the victim of hacking, then that person's legal rights have been violated as well.



I'm a high school teacher. Here's how I would recommend that you handle this. Go in to the meeting with at least one parent, and make sure your parents know what happened and that they support you. Dress nicely (that always throws administrators off; they think you expect to be photographed and that means press). Be calm, as if you are already gearing up for a court case. State that the school does not have the right to read your private correspondence (do your homework ahead of time so you can cite court cases; a history teacher may be able to help with this) and that what you did does not fit the legal definition of bullying (again, look this up). Have your parent(s) explain that they do not agree that you should be denied your right to public education based on illegally acquired information (remember, the school has this because the account was hacked) and that you have not broken any law. Make sure they are ready to back you in a legal case. The ACLU may be able to help you. You may want to give them a call and explain your situation. They may be able to provide you the information you need to present to your high school administration.



Don't argue that the other students should be punished. Just focus on the fact that you have done nothing illegal, that you don't want to be "denied your right to education" (use those words), and that you are willing to seek legal counsel if your rights are wrongly denied you.



Be ready to cave to a demand like, "Well, don't do this again." That's a small concession to make to let the administrator save face.



Good luck. I hope it turns out well for you.

Answer 3

I don't know what to tell you dude, I'm a senior too and have found myself in very similar situations. I guess legal issue for the school if they didn't do something? Schools can be pretty extreme when it comes to stuff like that. I provably would've done the same as you though XD I had a friend a while back who was just like that, and I tried to be a good influence and talk her down from stiff on fb, and I also talked to the principal about maybe getting her some help, but I got in trouble for "getting into thing that had nothing to do with me" but hey, I've alway been nosey. In your sittuation (though I may not have all the info) it seems very unfair to you, but I don't think thee's much you can do about it, sorry dude.

Answer 4

umm... it isnt your fault or fair.



Once something is posted on the internet, especially a social networking site it becomes public domain



Challenge this 2 week suspension. Tell the superintendent or have your parents come in. You are not cyber bullying. what you are doing was taking what was already said and compiled them all in one image. if the girl in question took offence to it, then its her fault for having said all those things.



Dont take any **** from your school. You are not in the wrong in any way. Do some quick research on the subject and the laws and go straight to the superintendent with your parents.





In short: f this girl up!

Answer 5

You're right, you shouldn't have sent them on, but the school's decision is completely unfair. Just goes to show how jacked-up the school system is nowadays. That girl needs to go to counseling for anger management and "alcohol abuse (she could just be saying she's drunk)." I'm sorry that you're going through this, Honey, it really is unjust. Get your parents or some other adults involved. The school board won't listen to a minor, but they might listen to the adult.

Answer 6

Not only was that a private message, but you didn't even say anything about her. You merely documented what she said. Not only is this not fair, but it's a serious slap to the face for anyone who has ever been cyber bullied lol.



You should demand they tell you how this qualifies as cyber-bullying, because it clearly does not.



"Cyber-bullying is the use of the Internet and related technologies to harm other people, in a deliberate, repeated, and hostile manner" That is the definition of Cyber-Bullying. Once again, DEMAND for them to explain how what you did constitutes as Cyber-Bullying, because you literally did nothing that falls under this definition.