Lisa Anne Chatten wants to turns a nasty episode on social media into a platform to spread the message that cyberbullying is not acceptable.

Over the weekend, Chatten took to social media to say she is not ashamed of her body or her life after a fellow candidate for Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board posted disparaging comments about her.

The incident went so far as to involve the police after Chatten sought the assistance of Belleville police over Facebook comments by a fellow candidate, Margaret Schuler, attacking her weight and character.

Schuler, who has since apologized for her remarks, said she “snapped” after being badgered online.

“These people have zero experience with the board and claim they are philanthropists,” Schuler commented on a post that originated from her personal Facebook account.  “A single mom, no property and a Jaguar LOL!! I am sure she “knows all the guys in Belleville when she was a bit thinner! Like 200 pounds!”

Later in the same message chain Schuler claimed Chatten only takes “selfies from the neck up! She is enormous!”

Chatten said when she saw the post it filled her with apprehension and triggered her anxiety.

“When someone is attacking you and you did nothing to provoke it, it makes you re-examine the safety measures in your life,” she admitted.  “It’s nerve racking.”

Chatten said she asked police to talk to Schuler after “things appeared to be escalating.”

“I was concerned the public posts could have a direct effect on my reputation for people that don’t know me and I requested that they ask her to stop,” she said. 

“I thought that if she saw that I was not afraid to contact help that she might cease to take the trajectory that she was taking.”

Belleville police staff Sgt. Rene Aubertin confirmed an investigating officer spoke to all parties involved. He said he would not get into specifics because there weren’t any criminal offences.

“We looked into it and there was no investigation because no criminal offence had taken place (from any of the parties involved),” he said.  “We won’t be discussing this any further.”

Chatten said when police told her Schuler said ‘she could post anything she wants’ that changed her position on keeping quiet about the situation.  She decided to post Schuler’s comments publicly on Facebook.

While her focus remains on an inclusive curriculum and ensuring the public has a voice in board decision-making, Chatten is now looking to turn this experience into a positive one by helping others by connecting them with support networks.

“This is a very real situation,” she said.  “Online bullying is an issue. There is a lot of devastation that comes along with seeing things posted about you online that can have a real effect on someone’s mental health.”

The HPEDSB defines bullying as a form of repeated, persistent and aggressive behaviour directed at an individual or individuals that is intended to cause fear and/or distress to another person’s body, feelings, self esteem or reputation.

Schuler said she took the post down before the police were called and has since issued a public apology to Chatten.

“I deeply regret what I said,” Schuler said in an interview.

“What I said was wrong and I should know better,” Schuler said pointing to her 30-year career within the school board in Toronto as a teacher. 

She said she would never behave like this toward a child and realizes she shouldn’t have said it about Chatten.

Schuler said she decided to run to ensure board money is put back into the classroom where students need it most.

Schuler said she was badgered and prodded by comments online and she ‘snapped.’ When posts emerged stating the Ontario Elementary Teachers Federation, a union she spent 30 years with, endorsed Chatten and another candidate she said she was ‘fed up.’

“When they kept posting about endorsements from my union I went nuts,” she said.  “I posted unions should never endorse candidates... Emotions run high.  People say things they regret.  It shouldn’t have gone this far.”

Schuler said she is concerned with the effect this has had on her husband, Paul Bell’s campaign.

Bell, who is running for Belleville city council, said when he found out what his wife posted, he was “ashamed of her remarks.”

But he added that he has now become a victim as well, guilty by association.

“I’m being vilified for this,” he said.  “I had nothing to do with this.  If I defend myself I’m vilified...  I’m starting to think I am more of a target.”

Bell said there have been death threats against him and Schuler that caused him to cease canvassing over the weekend.

“It’s hard to knock on doors when you are afraid of violence,” he admitted, noting he has spent years invested in working to become a city councillor. “I thought I had a good chance going into last week.”

Bell, who’s campaign has heavily focused on reducing municipal debt and creating ‘sensible policy’ around waterfront development and cannabis, said he will continue to campaign and take his chances going door to door.

“I have nothing to gain from this,” Bell said of the social media postings made from his wife.  “After seeing the performances of both of them.  I don’t want either of them in office.”

Schuler and Chatten stated they are both going to continue to run in the upcoming Oct.22 election.