Technology+Report

Cyberbullying is the deliberate act of sending cruel messages or posting harmful material using the Internet or other digital technologies. (Willard, 2007) Digital technology is at the fingertips of students twenty-four hours a day. Although technology has the ability to transform education, it can quickly become a nightmare for school districts if policies are not put in place to protect students. Nancy Willard (2007) of the Center for Safe and Responsible Use of the Internet (CSIRU) says, “students are engaging in the cyberbullying activities off-campus, but the harmful impact is being felt at school.” The responsibility of school officials is unclear. While students are protected by free speech rights off-campus, school districts may only govern student speech when using technology on a school campus as outlined //Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeir//. (Willard, 2007) At least 58% of students admit to being bullied online and 53% of students admit to having said something mean or hurtful to another person online. (Hitchcock, 2007) These statistics illustrate the importance of educating teachers and students about cyberbullying and how to deal with its effects. It is necessary that all stakeholders are aware of school district policies that prohibit students from using school or personal digital technology to harass or bully other students while on school grounds. Additionally, school districts need to develop a system that allows students to report cyberbullying confidentially or anonymously and establish a procedure to respond to such reports. (Willard, 2007). In her article, //Cyberbullies, Online Predators, and What to Do About Them,// author J.A. Hitchcock (2007) says that an iSAFE survey conducted in 2004 illustrated that “almost 60 percent of kids and teens did not tell anyone they were being cyberbullied. This is because they were afraid they’d be punished, that no one would believe them, or that the bullying would get worse.” Needless to say, it is important that students are provided with a support system at school that they can trust. If cyberbullying occurs off-campus and offers no direct threat to a student while on-campus, it is recommended that school officials request an informal meeting with the parents of the bully and the target to discuss the issue. It is important to note that there are civil laws that protect victims of cyberbullying and allow them to sue the bully and the bully’s parents. In her paper titled, //Educator’s Guide to Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats// Willard (2007) explains, “in many jurisdictions, there are parental liability laws that allow someone who is intentionally injured by a minor to hold the parents of that minor financially responsible. Parents can also be found negligent in failing to provide reasonable supervision of their child.” Willard (2007) adds, “informing the parents of the cyberbully about this potential is likely the strongest motivation school officials can use to ensure that cyberbullying stops.” Schools districts need to inform staff, parents, and students that cyberbullying can lead to the involvement of law officials. Willard (2007) states, “extremely harmful online speech can violate criminal laws that can lead to arrest and prosecution. Students should be aware that it is illegal to threaten people with violence or their property. It is also illegal to threaten someone on the phone, online, or by text message. It’s important that school officials, teachers, students, and parents work together to develop a comprehensive plan that educates key stakeholders about the consequences of cyberbullying.
 * Cyberbullying and School District Responsibility **

References Hitchcock, J.A. (2007). Cyberbullies, Online Predators, and What to Do About Them. // Multimedia & Internet @ Schools, // Volume 14, Issue 3, pp 13-15. Willard, Nancy. (2007). //Cyberbullying Legislation and School Policies: Where are the// // Boundaries of the “Schoolhouse Gate” In the New Virtual World? // Retrieved October 31, 2010 from http://www.cyberbully.org/cyberbully/docs/cblegislation.pdf Willard, Nancy. (2007). //Educator’s Guide to Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats.// Retrieved October 31, 2010 from []