District Partners to Stop Bullying on Social Media Working with iCanHelpline

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October is National Bullying Prevention Month and Seattle Public Schools (SPS) is dedicated to the safety and security of all our students, including keeping them safe from harassment, intimidation, and bullying. For the 2017-18 school year, the district is adding another tool in our efforts to keep students safe from bullying. 

SPS is taking part in a pilot program with iCanHelpLine.org, through a grant from Google to try to stop cyberbullying on social media. 

iCanHelpline.org is a service schools subscribe to, then email or call when they need help with student cyberbullying on social media. iCanHelpline.org staff review the content to determine if it violates terms of use, then work with companies like Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and others to get the content deleted.

It is important to note the final decision to delete any content rests with the company that owns the social media app. iCanHelpline.org staff rely on their longstanding relationships with social media companies to work with them to stop cyberbullying.

Statistics

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

• 28% of U.S. students in grades 6–12 experienced bullying
• 20% of U.S. students in grades 9–12 experienced bullying
• 9% of students in grades 6–12 experienced cyberbullying
• 15% of high school students (grades 9–12) were electronically bullied in the past year
• Only about 20 to 30% of students who are bullied notify adults about the bullying 

District Programs

In addition to Seattle Public Schools Policy 3207 and Superintendent Procedure 3207SP.A, which describe the prohibition and procedures the district uses when addressing allegations that a student may be experiencing harassment, intimidation, or bullying, SPS draws on an integrated approach to support students in this area.

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The district partners with many community organizations and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to provide students, families, and schools with tools to address harassment, intimidation, and bullying. OSPI provides a robust toolkit for partners and families on their School Safety Center webpage.

What should you do if you are harassed, intimidated, or bullied?

All concerns about harassment, intimidation, and bullying should first be reported to a school administrator (Principal or Assistant Principal). Reports can be made verbally or in writing. Reports can also be made using the Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) Incident Reporting Form. Copies of the HIB Incident Reporting Form should be given to both the School Principal and to the district’s HIB Compliance Officer.