Consider the moms who gathered at Turkey Foot Middle School recently. Shannon Rosado is concerned about her eighth-grade son being manipulated by aggressive girls. They send him text messages on his cell phone, she said, urging him to shun students they don't like.

Michelle Gilkes, who has a seventh-grade daughter, recently discovered another way girls torment each other. Using three-way calling, Girl A tries to get Girl B to say something mean about Girl C, while Girl C secretly listens in.

"I want to be able to empower (my daughter) to handle the situation," Gilkes said.

The women are part of a new group at Turkey Foot led by Susan Back, director of the school's Youth Service Center. Every Tuesday for the next five weeks, they will be discussing Queen Bees & Wannabes, a non-fiction account of the tumultuous social relationships among girls.

The book made a splash when it was published in 2002 and formed the basis of the movie Mean Girls, a satirical comedy released this year. Based on extensive interviews with girls, it's sprinkled with anecdotes and advice for parents. Subtitles include, "Uninvited: The Sixth Grade Birthday Party," and, "Even 11-year-olds Will Accuse Each Other of Acting like Sluts."

Back has seen her share of crying girls at Turkey Foot.

But until she read Queen Bees, "I didn't understand how damaging girls could be to each other. My big philosophy was, 'Just ignore them. You can be friends with any group.' "

Now she knows it's not so easy.

At the first parents' meeting, one mother wondered what to tell her son about choosing a clique over friendship with an outsider.

Gilkes said she had to block instant messages from her daughter's computer, because the e-mail among students was so cruel. Sometimes she wonders whether to intervene further, she said.

Back's answer: Don't, unless physical harm is imminent.

As she left the first session, Gilkes looked relieved just to be talking with other parents. "I feel better already," she said.

Parents from any school are invited to the Queen Bees discussion group, which meets at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays at Turkey Foot Middle School in Edgewood. Leader Susan Back also may start a lunchtime group for working parents. Contact her at sback@kenton.k12.ky.us or call (859) 957-0042.

E-mail kgutierrez@enquirer.com