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Social media harassment under investigation by Bullhead City school district, police

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Posted at 8:07 PM, Dec 15, 2021
and last updated 2021-12-15 23:07:07-05

(KTNV) — Students in Bullhead City continue to "highlight unacceptable behavior on social media posts," according to a Wednesday press release from the Bullhead City School District.

The district and Bullhead City Police are investigating "probable cyber-bullying and other bad behavior," the district stated.

This comes two weeks after teens were arrested for illegally recording and posting videos of other students using school restrooms, officials said.

The investigation includes videos and photos recorded both on and off campus, "often with vicious comments about other students," BCSD stated. District officials called out social media companies, specifically Instagram, writing that they "have neglected to take down posts that include possible cyber-bullying and other illegal behavior."

Whether the posts are made on or off campus, they create problems at school, the district stated, disrupting the education process and escalating tensions between students.

"The behavior ranges from being mean to bullying to potentially felonious activities," BCSD superintendent Carolyn Stewart stated. "We have to ask the parents who are allowing their children to post these things, and the social media staff who will not remove them, whether they would want this same thing to happen to their children."

District officials asked that parents "responsibly monitor their minor children's online and social media interactions and posts."

“Parents, if you know who is doing this, we need your help getting it to stop,” Stewart said. “We will continue to take strong action against this behavior. We can’t do it alone.”

BCSD asked that concerned citizens and parents continue to report their concerns directly to their school, rather than post about it online, which often further exacerbates the situation, they said.