(MyNews4.com & KRNV) Dayton, Nev. - We're taking another look at an issue that can impact children's lives the issue of bullying. One Lyon County school is now using an innovative new approach to stop bullying.
Dayton Intermediate middle school says they are only the second one in the nation to do this. It's a simple idea, but a smart and innovative one. We all know that kids are big fans of texting, and that will likely never change. So the Dayton school is taking a national lead in allowing students to anonymously text to administrators. And report anything from bullying to harrassment, drugs to weapons.
"They don't want to come in the office and don't want to be seen telling on other students, students are very worried about retaliation," said Linda Flaherty, principal of Dayton Intermediate. "This is one way for students to let administrators know something is going on on campus that we need to address."
There was a Lyon Couny School District board meeting Tuesday evening where the school's principal talked more about the program. Students have been addressed on the new texting program and advised of consequences for abusing these new phone privileges in class.
The program has been underway for a week now, and is said to be working. If students see bullying or other problems on campus, they simply send an anonymous text to the phone number they've been given, and the school will handle each problem on a case-by-case basis.
Parents and teachers hope this allows more students to speak up and report bullies.
"I think it's awesome, it's exactly what kids love to do, I have several children who text, I think that's the way to reach kids," said Lyon County mother Alyce Volberding.
"We need to go with the communication method that best suits our students, it's texting that they'll do," said Lyon County School District Superintendent Caroline McIntosh. "It's not the old fashioned way anymore, we need to meet their needs and it's working."
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