Stay Safe Online

Shaquille O'Neal Talks to Scholastic about cyberbullying

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Off the court, Miami Heat's Shaquille O'Neal works as a volunteer police officer. (Photo: Lucas Jackson/AP Photos)

When Shaquille O’Neal hangs up his super-sized basketball shoes for good, he has another career in mind: sheriff!

Whether in Los Angeles, California, or Miami, Florida, Shaq plans on running for election as sheriff. Until then, he will continue his work as a volunteer police officer off the court. On the court, he is still the star of the Miami Heat.

His police volunteer work currently focuses on cyberbullying: using the Internet through instant messaging or email to bully someone is a crime.

Recently, Shaq spoke to Scholastic News Online about how to prevent bullying online.

SN: Do you have any tips on how teens can avoid techno-bullies?
Shaq: If [things get] bad, tell Mom and Dad. Tell the principal. And that usually puts an end to it.

SN: What should a teen do if a friend is using the Internet or a cell phone to bully a classmate?
Shaq: They should probably tell them not to do it. It’s not safe.

SN: Why do you think bullies are drawn to cell phones as a means of bullying rather than doing it face-to-face?
Shaq: Most bullies are bullies because they’re insecure. I was a bully because I was insecure. People used to laugh at me for being tall, so I had to scare them into not making tall jokes. That’s why I was a bully.

SN: What stopped you?
Shaq: One time I beat a kid up so bad he had an epileptic seizure. That was the end of me being a bully. If that guy didn’t come over [to help], you probably wouldn’t be talking to me right now. I would probably just be getting out of jail. When I beat that kid up and he almost died, it changed my life forever. It made me become a more responsible person. It made me get an education and stay in school. It helped me focus better and become more community-oriented. I’m just glad I didn’t have to learn the hard way in jail. I used to run around with the wrong crowd.

SN: Why is Internet safety an important cause for you?
Shaq: I don’t have the statistics in front of me, but they’re very alarming. It’s an issue that not a lot of people are handling, not a lot of police departments are really focusing on it.

SN: What do kids need to know about staying safe online? Do you have a couple of tips?
Shaq: Don’t tell anybody where you live. Don’t give out any personal information about what school you go to. Don’t send any pictures. If it gets too hot, sign off. Kids that don’t really know the rules, those are the ones that get messed over.

-Interview by Suzanne Freeman 

 

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