Students can access the Web site from any online computer, but officials and the creator of the service felt it was important to validate the complaints in some way. Don't forget that this is an anonymous reporting system. The school chooses four designated recipients, such as a principal, counselor, or safety resource officer. The school administrator or designee reviews the report, and quickly determines the appropriate action. Again, I emphasize that schools conduct their own investigation on the report.
School administrators are sensitive to the possibility.
As in any complaint, online or face to face, they try to find out who was involved, how serious it is, if there were any witnesses, etc. Studies have shown that students who do carry out acts of violence at school usually share that information with several people before actually taking action. Chances are that one report can be substantiated by other eyewitness accounts, or by other students who have witnessed peculiar behavior. The information generated through the system is held in the highest regard of confidentiality. One high school in Washington D.C., which uses the program, said it was very helpful in identifying problems, but would not be specific about the level of effectiveness.