Signs around New York City advise you that if you “see something, say something” and then provide a phone number to report the incident. In Metlife Stadium an electronic sign flashes with a phone number, the “Fan Hotline” where fans can anonymously notify stadium security of any incidents. Now, students are being given this type of hotline to report bullying incidents.

With most students possessing a cell phone, Blackboard, an education technology pioneer, is giving students and their schools a positive way to use them. “TipTxt” is a program that allows students to confidentially alert school administrators via text message to any bullying incident.

The student who “texts in” would receive an automated response that their incident report has been received and that the administrators are looking into it. A designated school official, who monitors the text hotline, receives the text and chooses how to investigate. Officials also have the option to text back to the student if more information is needed, this allows for fast and easy documentation of the incident.

Blackboard is offering TipTxt for free to every K-12 school in America including all public, private and religious institutions can choose to participate in TipTxt they will receive the service, text mailbox, and technical support services. The service includes all the costs of the school’s text messages. The cost is a TipTxt line the fee is $125 per year to keep the hotline running.

In Pennsylvania, Quakertown Community School District administered the TipTxt service in their schools and has given it nothing but praise. Lisa Andrejko, Quakertown Superintendent of Schools, said it helps eliminate the barrier of students being too shy or too scared to report incidents.

“Some students tend to not be as comfortable with face-to-face and text is how they communicate. Using technology to report situations and alert school officials without having to be in their presence or be seen is a very effective means of communication and helpful in anti-bullying efforts,” stated Andrejko. “With TipTxt, we can help students report bullying without fear of retaliation.”

Not everyone likes the idea.  Some schools see potential problems such as faulty or joke texts being sent in by students abusing the service.  School officials have no way of knowing and each text would have to be investigated individually.

There is also an issue with allowing administrators to respond to the texts as well. Schools trying to get more information from the student might try to pressure the student into doing so, thus essentially creating a bullying situation – of the person reporting the bullying.

But wth over 31,000 school districts already using Blackboard products, TipTxt could be the bullying prevention system of the future.