Nassau DA Kathleen Rice Delivers Anti-bullying Program

DA Rice’s Anti-Cyber-Bullying Program Coming to Nassau County School Districts

“STOP Then Send” features multi-media presentation, real-life examples, and discussion with trained prosecutors; cautions students using social networking sites

MINEOLA, NY – Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced today that her office’s anti-cyber-bullying program, “STOP Then Send,” will be presented in eight Nassau County schools in the coming weeks. The program, an innovative, multi-media presentation, is designed to teach kids and parents about the dangers of cyber-bullying, sexting, Internet predators, and social-networking websites. 

The program encourages students to consider four factors before sending an abusive text message, inappropriate photo, or insulting message board post or when using social networking sites, such as Facebook: 

• Study the content
• Think of others
• Only send if appropriate
• Photographs are forever

 “New technology and social networking sites have taken harassment and intimidation to new and increasingly deadly levels,” Rice said. “This program created by my office will not only educate students, parents and teachers about the dangers of cyber-bullying and the Internet, but it will also send a strong message to students that the decision to press ‘send’ can have far-reaching and devastating consequences to themselves and others.”