Students will be able to confidentially report and discuss bullying and other troubling incidents by text message with TipTxt, a new tipline offered by Blackboard, Inc., that is being promoted in conjunction with the National PTA.
The new will be offered to all K-12 schools and districts in the country at no cost other than the $125 annual fee of setting up a dedicated line.
On May 29, the PTA announced the partnership with Blackboard, a Washington, D.C.-based business that provides enterprise technology and solutions for students and learners around the world.
鈥淭ipTxt is a tipline that allows for confidential, text conversations between students and school officials about critical challenges that students experience such as bullying, and issues that relate to bullying, such as abuse, self-esteem or confidence problems,鈥� the PTA鈥檚 release says. 鈥淎rmed with this insight, officials can provide resources, advice, or immediate action to help on a case-by-case basis.鈥�
鈥淭he concept is one that is great,鈥� said Ronald D. Stephens, the executive director of the , an advocacy and advisory group in Westlake Village, Calif. 鈥淭exting is probably where the new action is鈥� in terms of reporting threatening behavior, he said.
While a national 鈥渢ext-only鈥� service for this purpose might be a novelty, the concept of using texting for tips is not entirely new.
As part of its 鈥淪ilence Hurts Campaign,鈥� Broward County Public Schools in Florida set up a for anonymous tips after the 2009 murder of a high school girl by another girl who had texted, 鈥淚ma bust a cap in somebody. Ima shoot somebody. Tomorrow I will shoot myself in the heart. I just might get arrested tomorrow. U gon visit me in jail.鈥�
News reports that, despite this very public warning, no one reported the threat.
The PTA and Blackboard are hoping they can affect students鈥� willingness to report incidents with the texting capability.
鈥淣ational PTA has always believed that creating a dialogue around bullying is one of the most effective measures to putting a stop to the problem. TipTxt is a great tool that allows children to have a voice within this dialogue,鈥� Betsy Landers, National PTA president, is quoted as saying in the organization鈥檚 release.
Stephens from the National School Safety Center said, 鈥淪chools will need to do some education of students about why it鈥檚 in their self-interest to do this [report threats via text], and for adults about why they need to respond.鈥� The stakes are high. 鈥淯nchecked, bullying creates an atmosphere of chaos and a negative learning environment,鈥� he said.
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