Cyber Gangs inside the Classroom

The Case

When Jonathan Tyler, a thirteen year old boy, first arrived at Valley Junior High School, he really liked his new school. His teacher seemed nice and so did all of his classmates. He was put in a group with three other boys–Brandon, Jose, and Kevin. The boys immediately got along and found things they had in common like playing basketball and video games. Jonathan’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Tyler, were pleased to see their son get along with his classmates.

The following weeks after his arrival Jonathan’s parents noticed a change in his behavior. He was not the same boy; in his face was a look of fear and despair. When they approached him to ask what was wrong, Jonathan simply replied, “Nothing.” Mr. Tyler decided to ask the other boys if they knew anything, but they said nothing. They had begun to suspect something was wrong. Jonathan seemed isolated and depressed. They began to wonder if the move to the new school had been a bad idea, and assumed that he was simply starting to miss his old school. Both Jonathan’s parents and teachers had no clue of the ordeal he was enduring.