Summer break is over and school is back in session for students this week. An app called 'Stop It' is aiming to prevent bullying, fights and other issues children may face at the Fairfax School District.
It's an app that you can download on your iPhone or Android device for free. After, you can share your concerns anonymously.
“Kids now a days have smartphones and so you download the app and kids can just enter in the situation they’re concerned about right from their phone,” said Michael Coleman, the Superintendent of Fairfax School District.
The app 'Stop It' is also available for any student, parent, or faculty member wanting to report any problems without repercussions.
“Sometimes somebody may know something or want to talk to somebody but are shy and embarrassed, or don’t know how it’s going to be received, but they certainly would say it if they were anonymous,” said Coleman.
And in the first two months, over 200 reports were sent in to the Fairfax School District.
“Most of it would be fighting, bullying, but a number of them that have come in have been mental health concerns, fighting. There’s going to be a fight behind the store somewhere, [and] we’ve been able to stop those sorts of events from happening," said Coleman.
This app can also be used to report problems in a student's home, with faculty, or even issues of self-harm.
“W’eve had self-cutting. So kids are even hurting themselves. So without this it’s safe to say we probably would not have known because some of these things, kids are scared for their friend, but they don’t really want to tell on their friend," said Coleman.
You can send in your reports any time and any day. The District says there is always someone on the other side. And if you need to talk it out, there is also a messaging feature.
“It's another tool for us to interact with our students in a manner, which otherwise they probably would not. Iff we can help one child, that otherwise would not be helped than why not do that. That’s our role. That’s what we’re supposed to do," said Coleman.
Every incident is investigated by the school district and if needed, reported to proper authorities.
