There have been many accounts utilizing Metea Valley’s name and logo that are active daily on Instagram. These accounts post a combination of anonymous messages from Metea students and other neighboring schools. Some think they post photos that are funny and relatable because they are not posts directed towards themselves, but others think these accounts are offensive. Although there is a lighthearted side to these accounts, students are spreading mixed opinions around the school as to whether these accounts are threatening or positive to Metea and its tight-knit community.

“I have seen mostly funny stuff on it [Metea confessions account],” senior Mary Anaya said.

Some students see the positive side of these anonymous accounts and follow them for their relatable content. Sometimes these anonymous account owners post about specific students and teachers at Metea.

“People are talking about teachers they like [on Metea Confessions] and are just agreeing with each other,” senior Janet Fanami said.

Although some posts are seen as funny and entertaining, Principal Darrell Echols states that these accounts can have bullying and most things that are shared are not wholesome. He then shared a message for those who run accounts such as Metea Confessions.

“I would say, first of all, any account that promotes and supports students bashing one another and saying inappropriate things about one another… that is not healthy for our school,” Echols said. “I would encourage you to not do that, and at the same time, I would tell students that if you do not like some of the stuff that is happening on there [accounts], disengage from them… It does not represent the Metea LIFE statement.”

Some students who do not feel directly involved and affected by these accounts do not mind them remaining active.

“I think [Metea Confessions Accounts] should definitely stay [active] because it is a way to bring us [the Metea community] together,” senior Crystal Brown said.

Confessions accounts attract Metea students to comment, like, and interact with their posts, so students are hopeful that these accounts do not target specific students which would create a negative environment for the accounts. Although some enjoy these accounts and their content, some feel directly victimized by them and have come forward to higher authorities.

“Close to twenty, maybe more [have complained about these accounts],” Echols said.

A clear set of rules and restrictions can guide the way anonymous owners choose to run their confession accounts, so everyone enjoys the community these accounts have provided to some of us.

“I feel like [Metea Confessions accounts] should probably have more restrictions and authoritative figures controlling it,” Fanami said. “So, people who want stuff to be filtered out or taken down because it [the confession posted] did not actually happen.”

There are many issues regarding these accounts and the lack of control Metea and administration have over them.

“They are illegally using our school name and illegally using our logo,” Echols said. “One thing that we have not been able to get is a court order to shut them down.”

Since a majority of the posts Echols views are negative posts, he wants to remind students that all of these posts can be harvested. Although they may be deleted off the internet, there may be a screenshot somewhere, and if something is said that is inappropriate, racially charged, or sexist, it can come back to hurt students.

“I think I have seen a lot of positive stuff out there about our school, but not necessarily on Metea Confessions,” said Echols. “Now, I have to admit, I do not follow that, so the only things that I get from there, the screenshots, are negative… maybe they do say some nice things about students from time to time, but I do not know.”

A saying Echols stands by when posting on social media is “if you do not want mama to see it, do not press send.”