McKinley High School has suspended its junior varsity and varsity cheerleading squads as the school investigates alleged cyberbullying attacks by some of the team members.

"The school had noticed an increase of activity on the Internet that is labeled as cyberbullying — name calling and harassment — against students. It allegedly involved members of the cheer squad," said Dona­lyn Dela Cruz, spokes­woman for the Department of Education. "The school has stopped all activities of the squad until the team can be counseled on cyberbullying. … It won’t be re-enacted until the school feels comfortable that concerns have been addressed."

The school said the suspension comes during a relatively inactive part of the cheer season. About 50 students are on the coed teams.

McKinley’s principal was out of town Friday and could not be reached for comment.

Dela Cruz said the school system has an anti-bullying policy, but added that schools typically take responsibility for addressing bullying on their campuses.

Cyberbullying is listed as one of about three dozen "prohibited student conduct" offenses in the department’s administrative rules.

It defines cyberbullying as "electronically transmitted acts … that a student has exhibited toward another student or employee of the department which causes mental or physical harm to the other student(s) or school personnel and is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive educational environment."