Whether it’s iPod cell phones or stem cell research, advances in
technology can provide wonderful opportunities for society. But
there can be a darker side to instant electronic communication
– and cyber bullying is becoming a concern for administrators at
San Benito High School.
Whether it’s iPod cell phones or stem cell research, advances in technology can provide wonderful opportunities for society. But there can be a darker side to instant electronic communication – and cyber bullying is becoming a concern for administrators at San Benito High School.
They say some students are using technology like cell phone text messaging and personal Internet sites like myspace.com to send other students harassing notes, and are looking into creating a school-wide policy nip it in the bud.
While we’re all for creating a specific policy aimed a cyber bullying, administrators will need to come up with a clever and effective way to do so while dealing with cyberspace, which is nearly impossible to put constraints on.
School Resource Officer Rich Brown told the Free Lance recently it’s difficult to identify a cyber bully, and often times students don’t realize the legal magnitude of their actions.
“If you threaten serious physical injury or death, you’ve crossed the line – that’s a felony,” Brown said. “It’s not about the intention of the sender, it’s the interpretation of the receiver.”
Unfortunately, the statistics aren’t on the authorities’ side when it comes to proactively combating cyber harassment. According to 2001 statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Justice, 1 in 17 kids reported being threatened or harassed while using the Internet, however only 18 percent of even the worst online harassment – such as threats of bodily harm or rape – is ever reported.
But it’s important to crack down on cyber bullying because law enforcement officials say it can become even nastier than face-to-face harassment because the sender is protected by aliases.
Despite the challenges of dealing with the problem, SBHS should follow the lead of schools across the nation that are creating a specific policy targeting online harassment.
One school in New Jersey instated a policy in August that clearly defines what constitutes cyber bullying, what someone should do if faced with it and what type of consequences can befall a guilty student, including suspension and expulsion.
While Principal Debbie Padilla said cyber bullying makes up a very small portion of school harassment, the school board is right to act now, before the problem snowballs into something serious.
