As March Madness continues, cyberbullies have found a new method to tormenting victims. Recently, a Twitter account was created to determine the best looking girls at Shaker High in Albany, N.Y. The account holders of the account selected four females from each grade and asked classmates to rate them by their looks.
The account was quickly deactivated after receiving criticism from students and parents alike. Many responses to the Twitter account were in opposition to the idea of the competition. The school’s principal, Richard Murphy, took measures in his own hands and called the Colonie Police Department for guidance.
The police won’t be considering criminal charges despite officials noting the case as a form of cyberbullying.
Psychotherapist Dr. Robi Ludwig warns that the opinions of classmates can greatly impact the way high school girls view themselves. These ratings may harm the self-esteem of girls such as Kara Crodelle, a student at the high school who was embarrassed and frustrated by the actions of her peers.
“It didn’t make me feel good. I would be walking down the halls and there were these groups of guys clapping at me. I thought they were better than this. I was embarrassed,” reported Crodelle.
Despite the potential harms of the bracket, the district is using the situation to educate its students. School officials are urging parents to speak to their kids about the lasting impacts posts on social media can have.
