Winifred Pifer Elementary educates students on cyberbullying following SnapChat incident

PASO ROBLES, Calif. – Winifred Pifer Elementary School was notified on Dec. 13 of a cyberbullying issue through SnapChat that included a picture of a possible weapon, according to Paso Robles Police.

School Resource Officers (SRO) discovered in the follow-up that the weapon in question was a BB gun.

There was no direct threat made to any school or person, according to police.

Police said that following this incident, the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District and the SROs collaborated to educate students and parents of the dangers of social media use and cyberbullying.

Updates for this story will be added as they come into the newsroom.

The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District sent the following message to parents and staff regarding the reported incident:

Pifer Families,

Earlier this week, Winifred Pifer Elementary School administration was notified of a Snapchat cyberbullying issue involving students in the fifth grade. The administration initiated an investigation and discovered the postings also involved a picture of a possible weapon. Paso Robles Police Department was immediately notified, and a threat assessment was conducted. The weapon pictured was verified to be a BB gun, and there was no direct threat made to any school or person. 

Unfortunately, we have seen an increase in social media use among elementary-aged children, which is concerning.  This incident serves as a reminder that it is imperative that parents closely monitor students’ cell phone activities and utilize methods to restrict access to inappropriate material. We also encourage parents to initiate a conversation about social media and the need for kindness. 

Paso Robles Joint Unified School District