Have Something Nice to Say? Say it On Facebook
4.26.10 | An anonymous Facebook page filled with negative comments about Evanston (Ill.) Township High School students became part of a police investigation into cyberbulling earlier this month. But now students at the same school are drawing attention for posting and sharing the nicest comments imaginable about each other.
The feel-good Facebook group, the Evanston Mice, has grown to more than 1,500 members in less than a week. The info section reads:
You might have heard of this “Evanston Rats” nonsense that’s been going on. This group is for the thing that should have been done. Instead of letting the media get a hold of this, giving those who created the group the attention they were looking for, something like this should have been created. This group will hopefully show that we, as a community, can rise above such petty gossip. Show some love for your fellow man and woman!
The site also notes that users will be banned if they say anything hurtful.
So far, the wall posts are full of superlatives—praising students’ academic, artistic and athletic skills. And numerous posts call out people for being good friends.
“Maddy Mayday Smith is the absolute best friend in the entire world,” writes Ana Sandoval Malole. “She’s completely amazing.”
One of several comments by Nathaniel John Woodring reads: “John Miller is a wonderful musician, a great friend, and one of the kindest people I have ever met. He always raises spirits and gives me a smile.”
Robert Bruce Horton wonders if teachers can be included on this good-news site: “Hey everyone…. Do teachers count on here too? Dr. Mark Vondracek, ETHS Physics teacher, has been named named a finalist for a Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. We all knew he was good and now the whole world can congratulate him. Congratulations Doc V!!!!”
Evanston Mice co-founder Joey Fisher, a high school senior, appeared on WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight” on April 22 to discuss teens and cyberbullying. Other guests included Harold Krent, dean of Chicago-Kent College of Law, and Sarah Migas, an internet safety specialist from the Illinois attorney general’s office (who later answered questions online). You can watch the 13-minute segment below:
Photo by Spencer E Holtaway.
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Jacob Malone
4/26/10
4:07pm
I think a lot of discussions of cyber-bullying run into a dead-end because they are incongruous with most teens’ online world, which is often a place of connection, escape & happiness. I’m not saying we shouldn’t talk about it—but actions are so much better than words here. Celebrating the goodness and benevolent power of social networking is a great response!