MLB agent tells Southside students social media can cost college, jobs

Mark Lineweaver, a Major League Baseball agent, told Southside High School students during a morning assembly in Rockville Centre that social media posts, bystander inaction and bullying can cost them college admissions, scholarships and jobs.

Lineweaver said adults — colleges and employers — are already monitoring students’ social media and that content shared privately can resurface with severe consequences. He cited a case in which a private Snapchat video containing a racial slur was circulated, leading to thousands of students calling out the sender and the student withdrawing from the University of Tennessee after her scholarship and team spot were placed under public pressure.

"This isn't a phone anymore, it's a weapon," Lineweaver told the crowd, warning that casual sharing and reposting can be treated by outside institutions as the sharer’s own words. He used the example to emphasize personal accountability: "The only person who's in charge of those 24 hours is you," he said, urging students to treat their time and online activity as decisions that affect their futures.

The presentation included audience participation. Lineweaver asked for volunteers to speak into a microphone; a student identified as Mikaela and six additional students came forward. He called Mikaela's willingness to volunteer "leadership" and gave the volunteers a small token of appreciation, saying he would provide "a couple of Starbucks gift cards" for their participation.

Lineweaver framed his talk around three traits — courage, confidence and ability — and told students that combining those traits would reduce bullying. He described bullying amplified by social media as a "real and tragic epidemic" and urged students to be "selfless and kind" rather than "selfish and mean." He warned that bystanders who capture or circulate harmful content without reporting it risk legal or disciplinary consequences and could be perceived as complicit.

He also addressed student activities and school culture, asking athletes to attend arts events and suggesting that mutual support across teams and clubs helps reduce bullying and build community.

Principal Dr. Walsh thanked Lineweaver and the Southside High School PTA for arranging the event at the close of the assembly. The PTA and school leadership encouraged students to apply lessons from the talk to make "one or two small changes" that could improve the school community.

No formal actions, votes or policy changes were taken during the assembly; the event was a guest presentation and discussion exercise for students.