SIOUX CITY POLICE HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THEY LOOKED INTO A REPORT OF BULLYING INVOLVING A FORMER NORTH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHO IS AUTISTIC.
THAT STUDENT, SPENCER RICE, WAS THE SUBJECT OF AN ONLINE POLL POSTED BY SOMEONE WHO ALLEGEDLY SAID RICE SHOULD BE KILLED OR BE MADE TO KILL HIMSELF.
SGT. TERRY IVENER SAYS THE NORTH HIGH POLICE LIASION OFFICER RECEIVED A REPORT ABOUT RICE:
OC……..FOR THEIR REVIEW. :10
IVENER SAYS IT’S UP TO THE WOODBURY COUNTY ATTORNEY TO DETERMINE IF THE CASE SHOULD BE PURSUED FOR CRIMINAL CHARGES OR DISMISSED.
HE SAYS POLICE WILL DO WHAT THEY CAN TO HELP IN PREVENTING CYBER BULLYING:
OC……… TO PREVENT IT. :07
RICE’S STORY & PHOTO WAS POSTED ON FACEBOOK EARLIER THIS WEEK BY AN ANTI-BULLYING BLOG TITLED “THE BULLY EFFECT”.
RICE POSTED A THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO RESPONDED TO THE POST SUPPORTING HIM, WITH OVER 780 COMMENTS AS OF FRIDAY.
IVENER SAYS AS LONG AS SOCIAL MEDIA EXISTS, THERE WILL BE CYBER BULLYING:
OC…….SCHOOLS AS WELL. ;16
THE SIOUX CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT DECLINED TO COMMENT ABOUT SPENCER RICE’S CASE OR THE INVESTIGATION.
A STATEMENT E-MAILED FROM THE DISTRICT SAYS FEDERAL LAW PREVENTS THEM FROM DISCUSSING SPECIFIC STUDENT CASES PUBLICLY.
THE DISTRICT SAYS INSTANCES OF BULLYING ARE INVESTIGATED AND ACTED UPON IMMEDIATELY WHEN THEY ARE MADE AWARE OF ANY CHALLENGES.
Photo from “The Bully Effect” Facebook post
