By Amanda McGregor
SALEM — Parents are invited to a community meeting tomorrow night that will address the increasing use of electronic communication to harass other students — be it through text messages, e-mails or on Facebook — known as cyberbullying.
"It used to be you could go home and get away from the bully, now you can't," Superintendent William Cameron said. "Now the bully follows you and uses your cell phone and your computer and all the other things kids do to stay in touch to continue the harassment."
Salem police Chief Paul Tucker, Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett and a host of other officials will be on hand for a community meeting, to be held at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow in the Collins Middle School auditorium.
"Everybody knows that there have been some horrific incidents in Massachusetts and elsewhere where young people have taken their own lives because of the stress created for them by cyberbullying," Cameron said.
Local child and adolescent psychiatrist Jefferson Prince will be on hand, as well as the superintendent, Mayor Kim Driscoll and Collins Principal Mary Manning.
Cameron said the majority of cyberbullying takes place outside school, so it is crucial for parents and community members to be aware.
"What's unique about cyberbullying is its relentlessness and its ubiquity," Cameron said. "As long as young people have access to cell phones, computers with Internet connections and text messaging, they will be vulnerable to cyberbullying."
Cameron said there will be a translator at the meeting for Spanish-speaking parents.
Want to go?
What: Cyberbullying: What is it? Who does it? How can we stop it?
When: Tomorrow, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Collins Middle School auditorium, 29 Highland Ave., Salem
Who: Participants including Superintendent William Cameron, Mayor Kim Driscoll, police Chief Paul Tucker, Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, Collins Principal Mary Manning and Dr. Jefferson Prince
