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Students warned about social media posts in wake of alleged sex assault

Schools ask teens to limit online chats during police investigation
NVSD

The North Vancouver School District is warning local teens to be careful what they post on social media in the wake of a shocking incident that unfolded at a downtown grad party organized by North Shore teens.

In a letter than went home late last week, principals of local high schools acknowledged the violent incident that took place at an unsanctioned grad party at Encore Dance Club Feb. 28.

A 16-year-old teen has been charged with aggravated sexual assault and forcible confinement of a teenage girl at the event. He has also been charged with sexual assault of a second girl in a separate incident. None of the charges have been proven in court.

That hasn’t stopped teens from weighing in on social media however, prompting the school district to warn students against making comments on platforms like Facebook and Twitter – both out of concern for those involved and the need to protect the police investigation.

“We recognize that social media plays a significant part in the communication of any news and that it can be both helpful and harmful,” stated the letter from the principals “ ...

As this is an ongoing investigation, students are encouraged to refrain from discussing the case on social media.”

The letter was sent out after high school principals became aware that online chat was circulating about the incident on social media, said Deneka Michaud, spokeswoman for the North Vancouver School District.

“We recognize with traumatic events everyone becomes affected differently,” she said.

In the case of social media, “things get posted that might not be accurate,” she said.

Police voiced concerns to the school district about the potential for social media posts to cloud witnesses’ recollections or potentially publicly identify young people involved in the case – which is banned under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

“People don’t think about the broader ramifications,” when they’re posting online, said Michaud – and some teens don’t appreciate what those might be. She said school officials are hoping the letter might prompt parents to have discussions with their teens about responsible use of social media. “It’s important that the message does get out.”

Jesse Miller, a North Vancouver expert and speaker on teens’ use of social media, applauds the district’s attempts to raise awareness of potential issues raised by online chatting.

“They’re trying to make sure the separation of truth and false statements gets processed the way it’s supposed to, in a court of law,” he said. That’s very different to the way most people use social media, he added. “Social media itself is a soapbox. You can get up there and say anything.”

He said it’s also important for teens to be aware that “arbitrarily sharing information or rumour may escalate the situation or cause more damage. . .”

Unlike in the past, where kids at one high school may not have known what was going on at another school in the district, sharing with peers across chat groups and online forums means whatever happens in one part of the North Shore quickly gets shared, said Miller.

But he said it’s important for teens as responsible digital citizens to think about what it means to share information about others online.

That’s an idea that teachers also try to instill in students when they incorporate discussion of the online world, said Michaud: “Think before you post. It’s the idea of whatever is acceptable in a face-to-face environment is also what’s acceptable online.”

Meanwhile, Vancouver Police are urging teens who do have information about the incident at the nightclub to tell investigators – not their Facebook friends.

“While police have spoken with numerous witnesses, it is believed there are many others who may have information to share,” wrote Const. Brian Montague, media spokesman for the Vancouver Police Department.

Anyone who was at the Encore Dance Club that night, Feb. 28, with information who has not yet spoken with the Vancouver Police, is asked to call the VPD Sex Crimes Unit tip line at 604-717-0602.