A Queens high school principal is cracking down on Instagram accounts he says spark cyberbullying and fights — by threatening to suspend any students who follow the “dangerous” and “hurtful” pages, cancel prom, and even hurt their chances at getting into college if they disobey.
Francis Lewis HS Principal David Marmor this week took aim at a pair of Instagram accounts — each with more than 1,000 followers — and called on students to rat out anyone they know who owns a “bullying site.”
“I have had enough,” Marmor declared this week in an email to students.
“These accounts are posting horrifying content that includes graphic and direct threats to specific children with bullying comments that are far worse than many of the publicized cases that have led to incidents of self-harm,” he wrote.
The first — called flhs.confessionss — shows the Francis Lewis HS logo.
It contains hundreds of anonymous posts, including what kids describe as innocent romantic “crushes,” but is also rife with sexually graphic remarks.
“GIRLS WEAR MORE LEGGINGS SO I CAN SEE YALL P—Y OUTLINES,” one says.
Some posts refer to other students using the n-word.
Several refer to peers in ethnic terms, like “the hijabi girls.”
There’s “really outrageous, crazy stuff” on the confessions page, said Alan Ke, 16, a junior: “I think it should be taken down, just for the health of the school and stuff.”
The other account — flhs.f1ghts — showed videos of kids fighting, similar to footage posted in the past by students at other schools.
That page was yanked last week, but students at the Fresh Meadows school told The Post that a new page was created just as quickly.
Teens showed two videos they had posted, including one of a hallway in chaos after a fight broke out.
Another shows a gallon of milk being poured over a student’s head — a “milking” they called harmless horseplay.
“There’s all this stuff, drugs, and stuff, and it’s happening in school too. And he’s worried about a confessions account talking about crushes and stuff,” a 16-year-old junior said of Marmor.
“And yeah, okay, sometimes there’s not nice stuff in there, but that’s how the real world is.”
Starting Sept. 18, Marmor said he would discipline any student known to follow a “bullying site” — likely with suspension.
If a student refuses to stop following such sites, the school will withhold recommendations for college or work — “which is within our rights,” he said.
The principal also called on students to ID anyone they know who owns the social media accounts, saying whistleblowers will remain anonymous and “receive an appropriate award for doing the right thing.”
In addition, he warned, “Until either both accounts are shut down or all our current students stop following the accounts, there will be no celebratory extracurricular activities. That includes the cancellation of the upcoming pep rally, Winter Wonderland, senior trip, and prom, among many others.
“I am aware that the above steps are serious and dramatic. The problem warrants it; this is a matter of life and death to me,” Marmor wrote.
But some students told The Post they think their principal is going too far.
“I agree, those accounts are, like, bullying and it’s not okay – but punishing the whole school and mainly the seniors, is that fair? For me, someone who’s never been involved, it’s not fair,” said a 17-year-old senior.
“I don’t think you have to threaten prom. I feel like there’s a better way of doing all that,” said junior Melina Vassailou, 16.
“But, I guess in the end, he is kind of right. If someone is getting bullied, it is on him, and you don’t want anything to happen.”
Several students said they’ve steered clear of one site to avoid repercussions.
“I unfollowed it because they’re taking away college recommendations and I want to go to Syracuse,” another junior said.
The 4,267-student Francis Lewis is one of the most popular – and overcrowded – high schools in the city, and has had problems with fights, bullying, and some gang activity, like other Big Apple high schools, sources said.
A Queens teacher praised Marmor’s fighting stance: “This sounds like a confident principal who is more concerned about the safety of his school community than his own image and ruffling feathers at central. The DOE needs more administrators like Marmor. ”
NYC principal cracks down on 'dangerous' cyberbullying Instagram accounts - New York Post
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