Cyber-Bullying in Schools Meghan Thiel The topic I will be discussing today is Cyber-Bullying in Schools.

Cyber-Bullying “I hate you...everyone hates you too!...you are ugly and fat!...you are stupid and dumb!” “I wish you were dead!” I will kill you! I know where you live and how to get you when you're alone!.... Retrieved from ‘Net Bullies' - “I hate you… everyone hates you too!.. You are ugly and fat!... You are stupid and dumb!” “I wish you were dead!” “I will kill you! I know where you live and how to get you when you're alone!....” How would you feel if you received messages like this whenever you got online? Threatened, scared, angry? What if you were a middle school student and read this on your Instant Mess anger from a classmate.. If it were personal?

What is Cyber-Bullying? Cyber-bullying is when someone is harassed, threatened, or embarrassed through the use of technology. It is easy to act as someone else online or create a new persona. So what exactly is Cyber-Bullying? Cyber-bullying is when someone on the internet is being harassed, threatened, or embarrassed by someone else through the use of social technologies. Technologies can include, instant messaging, social networking cites, text messaging, or even pictures on a website or blog. Cyber-bullying is made easy because it is simple to make yourself someone new on the Internet or pretend to be someone else.

Cyber-Bullying in Schools 42% of students in 4th-8th grade have been cyber-bullied 53% of students have said something mean online to another student First, I have some statistics on Cyber-Bullying: - Just to put things in perspective, there are 17 million young people that use the internet that are between the ages of 12 and 17 and 74% of them use Instant Messaging According to I-Safe America, 42% of students in 4th-8th grade have been cyber-bullied. 53% of students admitted to having said something mean online to another student.

Most cyber-bullies do not see themselves as bullies or mean people! Why Do Students Bully? Because they are holding a grudge To show authority Entertainment Most cyber-bullies do not see themselves as bullies or mean people! While there is no one reason that students bully their peers, there are a few trends that have been noticed. Some students go about bulling alone and some do it in a group. Some students bully because they re holding a grudge against others, or think that they are protecting friends. Others bully because they cannot be the bullies on the playground (meaning they are pushed around by peers) and want to show their authority. Still more bully just because they can, for pure entertainment or to show off to their friends. Most bullies do not see them selves as mean. They may just think they are being tough, funny, or standing up for themselves.

Why should it be stopped? Cyber-bullying can have detrimental emotional effects on the people who are targeted. Cyber-bullying is punishable by up to a year in jail. Cyber bullying needs to be addressed and stopped. Cyber-Bullying can have detrimental effects on the people who are targeted. If people are caught harassing others through technology, it is punishable by up to a year in jail or large fines. Bullies get caught through the 9-digit code that is recorded by your Internet Service Provider.

How does it impact Education? There is not always limited access to the internet in school computer labs. What happens at school does not stay at school because of social networking. Students and teachers both can also be majorly impacted … With schools now having the most updated technologies and access to the internet, there is no limit to where students can explore. Some school have blocks on certain websites, but students are finding ways to get around the blocks. Students are also able to connect to others outside of school, using social networking sites from their homes where there are sometimes no blocks on websites. Students and teachers both can also be majorly impacted by cyber-bullying.

Impact on Students and Teachers Students can lose focus of their studies Teachers should be knowledgeable on how to help students deal with cyber-bullying. Students can lose focus of their studies and what is really important to them at this time in their lives, like keeping up with grades, family, and extra curricular activates. Teachers should be trained and know how to help students who are being victimized and handle or report students who are bullying others.

What Can Parents Do? Install parental controls Understand what technology your child is using (social networking sites) Asking “how would you feel if this were you?” Consequences for breaking the rules In some states, cyber-bullying is a crime, punishable by jail time and fines. But all of this can be prevented with the help of parents, schools, and even you. Parents should know what their teens are doing online at all times- this means possibly installing parental controls and understanding the technology your child is using. Teens should understand what the effects of cyber-bullying are and how it would feel to have someone make them the victim. Also, that not only could they get in trouble with the parents and school, but also the law.

What Can Schools Do? Develop a policy on Internet use and cyber- bullying Have and carry out consequences for breaking the rules of Internet use Use blocking software on school computers Work with parents to establish good habits Schools should also be an active member of stopping cyber-bullying. While they need to be careful that they are not going outside of their authoritative limits (they can get in trouble with the law for punishing students), there do need to be rules at school for internet use. They should have a clear and comprehensive policy for what is and is not okay when using the internet, inside and outside of school, and give a description of the punishments if the rules are broken. They can also use blocking systems to limit where students can go on the internet. Schools also should work closely with parents and police departments in the area to establish good habits when using the internet.

What Can You Do? Wait 5 seconds before you send a message Make sure others know if you are serious or joking around Report cyber-bullying ThinkB4Uclick! Cyber-bullying is problem in today’s society. It can hurt others, distract students from school, and needs to be stopped. Schools and parents should work together to succeed in a positive learning environment. You can help stop cyber bullying by not being a bully yourself: wait 5 seconds before sending a message to be you are not overreacting to something; finally, report cyber-bullying if you see it. With your help, cyber-bullying can become less common. It’s as simple as remembering to ‘think before you click’!

References: Net Bullies Cyber-Bullying: No Muscles Needed http://netbullies.com/ Cyber-Bullying: No Muscles Needed http://www.connectforkids.org/node/3116 *All images from Microsoft PowerPoint