Evanston Rats

I haven't friended them, but this kind of thing, setting up a Facebook site that is basically there to harass students, perhaps teachers, administrators, is actually against Illinois law. I searched for them on Facebook and apparently they're still up and running.

Here's what NBC Chicago has to say:

The school snitched on the page and filed a police report to protect students.

"We are working with the police and trying to get the site taken down by Facebook officials," he said.

The school issued a stern warning Monday to any student who posts malicious comments on the page. If they commit cyberbullying, the school could suspend students for up to 10 days with chances of expulsion. Administrators could hit the delete key on prom and graduation privileges. Or worse yet, students could face criminal charges.

Illinois' cyberbullying law outlaws creating a Web site or page designed to torment or terrorize a specific person.

Witherspoon said investigators can subpoena the name and IP address of the "Evanston Rats" creator and identify visitors.

"Evanston Rats" has 293 fans, including many students, as of Tuesday morning.

Here's some advice: choose your words carefully or risk ruining the best time of your life.

Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/Evanston-Township-HS-Rats-Out-Facebook-Page--90733709.html#ixzz0l5r5Wtnk

Very good advice, indeed. But this is exactly the kind of topic that shouldn't get the short shrift, Education-wise. Relationship-wise provides workshops throughout the year about Internet safety, and you bet, cyber-bullying.

And by the way. You should know that you're supposed to grow out of this phase by high school. There are all kinds of reasons that some kids just don't. Those reasons are what we talk about in those workshops. Anything but boring.

Linda Freedman