Cyberbullying is a Pervasive Problem in Schools: Ways States are Dealing With Online Bullying

Long gone are the days of traditional schoolyard bullying when young boys and girls chase and taunt each other within earshot of a teacher. Now they aren’t utilizing the Internet as a source of education or entertainment, but some are seeing it as an innovative new way to bully without getting caught.

These new age bullies employ instant messaging programs offered by AOL or MSN, social networking sites such as MySpace or Facebook and free e-mail services like Yahoo or Hotmail to victimize and torment other students.

If these bullies are caught teasing or physical attacking another student during school hours, they simply forego any bullying for as long as it takes to go home and log online once again.

A recent study by psychologists at the University of California at Los Angeles reported that 3 in 4 teenagers admitted to being the victims of bullying at least once over the last year. Furthermore, only one in 10 of these teenagers reported the incident to adults.

And each these cases of bullying is far more serious than simple name-calling; in fact they are inconceivably vicious. Some reported examples include student beatings documented on camera phones being sent to the entire school, students in the locker room being recorded then uploaded to the Internet, or mass mailings that permanently damage a student’s reputation.

Florida Passes Comprehensive Cyberbullying Law

The issue of cyberbullying surfaced over the last ten years and it has taken educators, parents and legislators some time to catch up to the explosion of freedom and access that the web affords.

Florida was one state that passed a bill this year, the Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up For All Students Act, which forces each of its 67 school districts to rewrite their policies to include cyberbullying. It was drafted in 2005 in memory of a Southwest Florida teen’s suicide as a result of bullying.

Many schools didn’t have policies that addressed cyberbullying, yet some throughout the state are concerned that the measure could be misinterpreted and also expand the school’s jurisdiction into the home (especially since many instances of cyberbullying occur when children are at home).

A number of states currently don’t have policies to address bullying, according to Bully Police USA, a victim’s advocate organization. These include New York, North Carolina, New Mexico, Massachusetts and others.

Others have suggested a national anti-bullying bill that would address the issue nationwide.

Solving a Cyberbullying Crisis

Bully Police USA provides suggestions to parents and students. First, they tell victims to send a clear communication to the bully telling them not to contact them again (also save the messages as documentation). The organization also recommend contacting an Internet service provider or the host of an online site to report inappropriate comments.

Victims should contact law enforcement officials if instances of cyberbullying become threatening or increase in frequency, advocates said.

In order to combat this growing problem in schools, it'll take a concerted effort by well-trained teachers, conscientious parents and empathetic students to spread a message that bullying in any form is damaging.

The copyright of the article Cyberbullying is a Pervasive Problem in Schools in Student Health Issues is owned by Mckenzie Cassidy. Permission to republish Cyberbullying is a Pervasive Problem in Schools in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Dec 2, 2008 8:00 AM

Guest :

The problem is that the Internet is a safe haven for bullies because of the anonymity. There is not a more cowardly way to bully someone then from behind a curtain. Parents need to get involved in helping solve the cyberbullying problem. If parents cared enough about their child being the bully or passing along the material as much as they care when their child is a victim, it would be a huge step forward. But then, of course, how do you know if your child is involved in cyberbullying? You need to monitor their Internet activity. Monitoring software like our PC Pandora will record everything that happens on the PC. If your child is a victim, you will know; if they are a bully, you will know. Whatever the case may be with your child, you need to intervene and teach them how to be a Responsible CyberCitizen. Otherwise, the path we are on, will lead to a disheveled generation who have no sense of ethics and humanity. Check us out at www.pcpandora.com to see how you can protect your child from the perils of cyberbullying.