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Postings on a new Facebook page have prompted police and school officials in Clovis to launch an investigation into online bullying.
Authorities described comments on the page as belittling and embarrassing, saying they’re being used to “harass and terrorize” some students at Clovis High School.
Clovis police Chief Steve Sanders declined to provide specifics about the page Friday for fear of encouraging more online traffic and “causing more heartache.”
At least 10 victims have come forward, and police suspect there are more.
No threats of violence have been made on the page, but Clovis officers are looking into whether the posts violate New Mexico’s harassment statutes.
The other concern, if the bullying escalates, is student well-being, the chief said. In recent years, the incidence of cyber bullying has increased and some cases in other states have resulted in suicides.
“That is a concern of ours. That’s the reason we are being extremely proactive,” Sanders said in a phone interview.
“We don’t want to see something like that take place here in our small little city of Clovis,” he added. “We’re going to use every tool and every avenue available to look into this to see if we can stop it, and if there’s been some violation of the criminal statutes, then we’re going to seek justice.”
The investigation started Monday after the school resource officer learned that some students didn’t want to come to school because of the comments being posted on the Facebook page.
Investigators have spent the past week conducting interviews and tracking down documents and other information that might lead to whoever is administering the Facebook page.
Sanders said students have posted comments on the site, but it’s not clear whether any adults are involved.
Police have electronically preserved the Facebook page with the names of the posters and their identities for possible prosecution. Sanders said Friday the investigation was ongoing and no arrests had been made.
Officials with the police department and the school district said they want to put an end to the online bullying to ensure public safety.
According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Education, about 6 percent of students, ages 12-18, reported being victims of cyber bullying in 2009. That same year, nearly a quarter of public schools reported that bullying in general occurred among students on a daily or weekly basis.
New Mexico law requires public school districts to have policies addressing bullying. At Clovis High School, students found in violation anti-bullying and harassment policies can face up to three days’ suspension for a first offense.
— This article appeared on page C1 of the Albuquerque Journal
