Students use Tip 203 to make false accusations

NNHS Principal Kevin Pobst estimates that more than 50 percent of tips reported in the last month to District 203’s anonymous tip line have been illegitimate in nature.

To combat the influx of false tips to Tip203, administrators from both NNHS and NCHS decided on October 21^st to add a legal notice to the Tip203 page, warning students that submitting a false report to an anonymous tip line breaks federal law. Pobst said an alternative solution was not determined during this district meeting.

“We’ve gotten quite a few bogus tips, and that is a concern to us,” Pobst said. “Most of the pranking that has taken place has been related to drug and alcohol use.”

For reasons unknown, Tip203 tips spiked dramatically following Homecoming. Pobst estimates that the number of false tips received last month more than doubles the number of the false tips received during the 2012-2013 school year. NCHS currently faces the same issue with fabricated tips, though to a lesser extent.

At NNHS, three people directly receive the tips: Pobst, Director of Student Services Jeff Farson, and Dean Steve Madden. The three evaluate each potential lead before sending them to the respective student’s dean. However, some tips may not make it that far.

“We don’t want to be in a position where any stereotypes or any kind of assumptions guide us. That’s why we have generally been pursuing all tips,” said Pobst. “The only time we might not pursue one is when we know that it was not possible that it was true. There are very few that we didn’t pursue.”

If a tip passes through the initial screening process, deans will question students in their office and often call home to investigate. Those students named on the anonymous tip line face punishment only if deans find the tip to be true. Otherwise, Pobst said they typically believe the students in question.

Despite the tipping trend, Farson ensures that administrators will not compromise the anonymous nature of the site.

“In order for this to be the system that it was intended to be, it needs to [remain] anonymous,” said Farson. “Otherwise, it defeats the purpose. We are not going trace [those who submit tips].”

On October 24^th, NNHS student government met with Pobst to discuss student concerns regarding Tip203. Student Government President Luke Landiak questions the school’s limitations when pursuing each tip.

“The majority [of tips] were off premises of District 203, which opens up the concern of [whether] it is really the job of the district to alert the faculty of things that are happening outside of school grounds,” said Landiak.

According to senior Abby Mangefrida, Dean Jessica Freed called her down to her office for an alleged, off-campus activity.

“Every time I have been Tip203’d, the stories have always been twisted,” said Mangefrida. “I was Tip203’d for bullying on Xbox, but I don’t have an Xbox to bully people on.”

Many students now question whether Tip203 serves as a credible solution for teenage issues or as an outlet for practical jokes.

“I think [administrators] want to help stop bullying, but I think [Tip203] is one of the ways people are bullying right now,” said Mangefrida. “I think it’s almost escalating bullying.”

At the district meeting, administrators from NNHS and NCHS discussed the merits of continuing Tip203 in light of the false tips.

“We [NNHS and NCHS] have concluded that the good far outweighs the bad,” said Farson. “We want to work out the kinks.”

In fact, the district so strongly backs Tip203 that there are plans to introduce it at the junior high level. The tip line could launch as soon as second semester. However, Farson said the timeline is still in the works and may be subject to change.