West Fargo Public Schools See Decline in Cyberbullying Incidents
The district has hosted community forums about social media since August
WEST FARGO, N.D. — As a dad with kids in their teens, West Fargo Police Chief Heith Janke makes sure his home is safe from cyberbullying and online predators.
“My daughter may think she’s talking to a 13–year–old boy online, and there really could be a 45–year–old that’s trying to harm her, so we should always know the friends that they are, and be checking what they’re doing online and on their phones,” said Chief Janke.
Chief Janke says the department has school resource officers directly handle reports of cyberbullying involving students.
After a West Fargo teacher was sentenced to five years in prison for inappropriate sexual conduct with students, the school district started hosting community forums to teach parents about the dangers of social media.
“We are very diligent about bullying specifically and monitoring harassment and other ways that social media can be used for evil, because technology is always changing, and so our students are always changing,” said Beth Slette, the Superintendent of West Fargo Public Schools.
Ever since they started hosting the community forums in August, the district says they’ve seen a decrease in reports of cyberbullying as well as malicious attacks online.
“I think our staff is doing a better job monitoring during the school day, cell phone usage and appropriate cell phone usage as well as the information that parents have been given,” Slette said.
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry says 95% of teens have access to a smartphone, and 90% regularly use social media.
Even though they can’t eliminate cyberbullying altogether, Chief Janke and his team want kids to be smarter online.
“We want to do whatever we can to make sure that no kids get harmed. That’s my ultimate goal,” Chief Janke said.
West Fargo recently began incorporating lessons about the psychological effects of technology and social media behavior into their curriculum at the middle and high school levels.
