High schools confront social media minefield

In high schools today, snide comments, inside jokes and offensive language can explode online through new, quickly evolving outlets, where it can live on and be seen by thousands. The aftermath can ruin reputations, jeopardize jobs, ­disrupt classrooms and lead to lawsuits or criminal charges.

The result is a frustrating game of cat-and-mouse for ­parents, who fear that teens might make a very public, and long-lasting mistake. Schools, meanwhile, need to maintain a positive environment, while trying to teach impulsive teens how to safely use technologies that can spiral out of their control.