Should Public Schools Regulate Cyberbullying?

Bullying is a serious issue. In the past few years, it has been a topic of national discussion and debate. 

But now there’s an entirely new form of bullying: cyberbullying. And while many schools have taken steps to address this problem, some say that they should be doing more.

In order to protect children from cyberbullies, public schools should require students to use one designated email account for school-related communications with their teachers and peers. 

This way, any emails containing hurtful messages can be traced back to the student who sent them – which makes it easier for administrators to take disciplinary action against bullies.

But not all educators agree with this argument; some feel that by logging students' online activities in such a way, schools are infringing on students' rights to privacy.

In order to ensure student safety, the government should work with technology companies in this country to develop a censorware program that can trace cyberbullies and track down their IP addresses before they have a chance to create more online harassment.

Students at public schools should be required by their school to use one designated email account for school-related communications with teachers and peers in order to protect children from cyberbullies. 

It would make it easier for administrators to take disciplinary action against bullies because any emails containing hurtful content could be traced back to the student who sent them. 

However, not all educators agree that logging their online activities in such a way infringes on their privacy or the student's rights. 

In order to ensure student safety, the government should work with technology companies in this country to develop a censorware program that can trace cyberbullies and track down their IP addresses before they have a chance to create more online harassment.

1. What is cyberbullying and how does it differ from traditional bullying?

With the rise of sales of smartphones, online activity in schools and social media use amongst teens, cyberbullying is exactly as you would expect and is a brand-new issue that public schools are dealing with.

Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying can be done completely anonymously , at any time of day, without anyone seeing it other than the victims and is what makes cyberbullying so dangerous because it can extend to more situations where anonymity can cause greater harm by giving bullies a false sense of courage.

Related: Is Cyberbullying Worse Than Physical Bullying?

2. Why do schools need to get involved in cyberbullying cases?

Public schools are increasingly being asked to get involved in these types of cases because bullying through emails/text messages/chat rooms/social networks are spilling over into school time and because they are just as bad as physical threats to the safety of other students.

If school administrators aren't equipped with the proper tools to deal with cyberbullies then how can they be expected to protect their students?

School administrators need to know who is bullying and how they are doing it in order to make sure that students can feel safe at school.

However, since most cyberbullying cases take place outside of school hours and not on school property, it becomes difficult for schools to enact any disciplinary action on the bullies. 

As such, it is up to school officials to deal with cyberbullying through proper guidelines and regulations that will result in the same consequences that would occur had the bullying taken place on school property.

3. How can public schools effectively regulate cyberbullying without infringing on students' rights?

Public schools should not infringe on students' rights in order to effectively regulate cyberbullying.

However, cyberbullies need to be held accountable for their actions online just as abusers in the real world would be if they were caught in the act of abusing another person.

Therefore, public schools should work with technology companies in this country to develop a censorware program that can trace cyberbullies and track down their IP addresses before they have a chance to create more online harassment.

4. What are some of the challenges that public schools face when trying to address cyberbullying incidents?

In light of the massive increase in online activity among students at public schools, cyberbullying has been a difficult issue for schools to address because it can occur outside of school hours and not on school property.

If a student is being bullied during school hours then that should be logged with school administrators and dealt with accordingly.

However, if the bullying occurs outside of school and the school is not informed about it, then how can they be expected to do anything?

5. Are there any successful strategies that public schools have used to deal with cyberbullying cases?

As of now, there aren't many successful strategies that public schools have used to deal with cyberbullying cases.

However, if students are caught bullying online while school is in session then steps should be taken to suspend the bullies and make sure the environment is safe for other students to learn in.

When it comes to cyberbullying, public schools should contact local law enforcement agencies first who will then be able to track down the bullies using their cybercrime units.

• On average across the country, one out of four children who use electronic devices with internet access have been bullied online by the end of seventh grade.

• Nationwide, one out of five children who go to public school are victims of cyberbullying.

• The anonymity provided to bullies in cyberspace makes it easier for them to be abusive without worrying about being caught or accountable for their actions.

In light of the massive increase in online activity among students at public schools, cyberbullying has been a difficult issue for schools to address because it can occur outside of school hours and not on school property. 

However, if a student is being bullied during school hours then that should be logged with school administrators and dealt with accordingly.

Wrapping Up

Cyberbullying is a very serious and oftentimes life-threatening issue that affects many students across the country.

Recently, there has been an increase in legislation to regulate cyberbullying at schools as well as other public institutions such as libraries and parks.

Schools should take this responsibility seriously by educating their staff members on how to handle these cases if they arise and be sure to enforce stricter punishments for those who break the rules.

If we want our kids to grow up into responsible adults then we need them not only educated but also protected from bullying wherever it may occur.