Cyberbullying is a rising issue that schools across the US are facing these days.
It has become an issue that became an obstacle in schools. Questions as of why teasing and sexual harassments through online communication happen turned into something that is rather difficult to answer. There is no exact label on how to define these misconducts done by students in school. Its hard to tell how wide spread this phenomenon has become.
Cyberbullying Research Center, an organization founded by two criminologists who calls bullying as “willful repeated harm” inflicting online, recently conducted a study about cyberbullying, and found out that a one to five ratio among students where affected.
As most adolescent get hooked on these online gadgets, a lot of parents put the responsibility of justice, protection and even revenge to the schools. But being a prosecutor or a judge is not in easy for many teachers to do.
Not all of the time there are rules and regulations in school district discipline codes, which has something to say about the limitations and extent of teacher’s authority to these online gadgets. They are not sure if they are allowed to impose punishment or show authority to these online menaces because there were no existing guidelines. Because of this, the teachers look apathetic to the fears of the parents on the effects bullying can create on their children. Suicide is even likely to be committed due to cyberbullying.
As the definition of cyberbullying is evolving, the people who should be responsible for these online acts are also changing, from the schools, police, and parents. This is why administrators who want to help the students who were bullied may face pragmatic and legal charges for not having the right authority over students who utilize online gadgets.
Mike Rafferty, the middle school principal in Old Saybrook, Connecticut gets different reactions from parents. Some parents would thank him for helping their child, but some parents would tell him to “stay out of it” because it did not happen in school premises.
The Anti-Defamation league said that even though there are 44 states that have existing bullying issues, less than half of them provide guidance if schools are allowed to intervene on online bullying. Also, bullying usually happen outside school and during weekends when the children have time to go online, which adds up to the problem.
There are some states that suggest a school conduct code that prohibits off-campus cyberbullying. Some schools that imply it, while others exclude it. Local districts should create cyberbullying prevention programs, according to some state.
Judges are also clueless as they face these questions on how to punish children who bully other children online. There is a dilemma in disciplining cyberbullies, because a student can’t be suspended by posting a cruel video on YouTube.
These issues have started getting through state and federal courts, yet, rulings have been contradictory, and many still need to be determined.
