Lynnwood moms warn about students' alleged cyber-bullying

LYNNWOOD -- The Edmonds School District is investigating reports of online bullying involving several students. Administrators say they’ve identified three students at Meadowdale Middle School who are now facing disciplinary action because of their online posts.

The students' Instagram account they created has now been taken down, but several parents who saw it are now speaking out.

“I was heartbroken, I was heartbroken for the children who were being bullied,” says one mother.

“They were taking requests -- who should we tear apart next?” says another mom. “It was everything from size to sex to clothes to shoes, anything that can be used to degrade a person.”



Even though their daughters weren’t specifically being targeted, the women started investigating to see if they could figure out who was behind the hurtful comments.

“I immediately went onto my phone, clicked on location services and just kept zooming in.”

This morning, they called the school and shared their findings. They also started alerting other parents.

“I think that's why a lot of these kids are doing what they're doing, because the parents don't know how to check up on things or what to look for.”

They say phones and social media can be good tools for children. But parents have to teach them how to use those tools responsibly.

“It’s difficult because we haven't been through this. We're learning along with our kids.”

“You have to get smart, you have to stay one step ahead.”

They advise using a shared cloud file, so parents know when their kids download a new app on their phone. They also say parents should know their kids’ passwords, and regularly check their accounts.

“I’d rather my daughter be mad at me, than in tears because she's the victim of bullying or worse.”

“You’re doing it to protect your kids, you're not doing it to be mean to them. You're doing it to save them from possible harm.”

The school district says they have contacted the families of the students suspected of the alleged bullying, and they intend to remind all students and their families about the rules of appropriate Internet and social media use.