Swampscott kids punished in school cyberbullying

SWAMPSCOTT – Some students at the middle school have been disciplined for allegedly threatening other students and the police are involved in the investigation.Principal Ralph Watson confirmed there have been incidents of cyberbullying at the middle school.Citing student confidentiality, Watson declined to comment on the number of students involved and what, if any, disciplinary action had been taken.”Cyberbullying is alive and well and living in Swampscott,” Watson said. “There have been a couple of different incidents recently. Kids just don’t get it. They don’t realize the implications of what they are doing. We are working to educate our students, faculty, parents and the community around the issue of cyberbullying.”According to one parent who asked not to be identified, the alleged incident is being investigated by law enforcement and students involved have been suspended.”It involves police action and suspension of two or three kids for sending text messages around the school about (one student),” he said. “Apparently it all started with kids not getting invited to each others’ bat and bar mitzvahs and ended up with cyber threats that the school and police are taking seriously. They had assemblies for seventh-grade kids on Thursday and eighth-graders on Friday with the Swampscott police.”The parent of one the victims declined to talk about the incident and simply said the family is working to put it behind them.Interim Superintendent Maureen Bingham said no students were permanently expelled but she declined to comment on the number of students involved and how they were disciplined.”A range of disciplinary actions were taken,” Bingham said. “We sought and received the support of the District Attorney’s Office and the Swampscott Police Department.”Essex DA spokesman Steve O’Connell confirmed there is an investigation into cyberbullying at the Middle School.”I can confirm we are working with the Swampscott Police Department and the schools regarding an issue that was brought to our attention,” he said. “I can’t comment further because it is an ongoing investigation.”Bingham said administrators at the Middle School are handling the situation appropriately.”The administration is working tirelessly on these issues,” she said. “We are working to educate our staff and students.”Attempts to reach Police Detective Rose Cheever, who is also the school resource officer, were unsuccessful on Monday.Cyberbullying has been a hot-button issue locally since Phoebe Prince, a 15-year-old Irish immigrant, killed herself as a result of alleged cyberbullying by a number of her classmates at South Hadley High School.