Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is the use of internet technology to inflict emotional harm through repeated and deliberate harrassment, threats and intimidation.

Personally I do not have any experience with this. Maybe because I am older and was at an age beyond hazing when technology came to a place to be used in such a manner. But I can recall instances that friends and I would send mean or hurtful text messages to eachother as jokes. I guess this is a perfect example of cyberbullying, but in all honesty it just fit in with our sense of humor and how we joked with eachother. I can definately see how this could be taken farther or be used negatively if our relationships had changed for the worst. But never have I felt bullied by anyone through technology personally.

Some of the issues schools face in dealing with this growing problem are the boundaries in which they are or are not allowed to operate. If it happens off-campus is it the school's place to get involved? This is a tough question, but even if it occurs off campus, students will bring it to school in one way or another. They will either show a lack of focus, motivation or enthusiasm due to fear or feelings of sadness, or they will come to school looking to exact revenge in person on school property. So either way, I feel that if it is going on and the school knows about it no matter where it takes place, it is the school's duty to intervene. Without knowing the specific laws regarding this issue on behalf of the school's rights or lack there of, I believe the school has a responsibility to at the vary least be a reporter of any bullying happening on or off-campus.

Some may disagree that the schools have any right to extend into the home life or personal space of students off school property and seperate from school hours. Parents may take offense to schools medeling in what they consider to be private business. However, if the bullying includes students from that school or district and the reprecussions of the bullying affect or disrupt the learning environment or experience for any or all students, the school should have the right to step in and take action to provide either assistance or discipline as they see necessary.
In my classroom, I hope to implement a preemptive plan to deal with and discourage cyberbullying all together. One important step in acheiving this will be to not allow cell phones in class. This will keep students from bullying via text message iin the classroom. To go along with this and to add to the effectiveness, the sschool would have to be on board to not allowing cell phones on school property. Unrealistic, but necessary for helping to stop bullying at school. However, there is no real way to prevent it off campus, or to prevent students bringing the results of such bullying to school. We as educators must be dilligent in noticing the signs of bullying and keep a watchful eye on all forms of technology offered to students on campus. This means closely monitoring students when they are using computers or other forms of technology while in class.
Being dilligent and stressing the importance of respect and responsibilty to students are all aspects of combating cyberbullying, but the issue unfortunenatley will continue due to the shear volume and level of advancement of technology as we know it today.