Hello, my name is Karli Powell and I will be presenting you with information on cyber-bullying in schools.
Every school has had to deal with students who constantly bully others. Whether it were physical or verbal, they would threaten innocent children at school or on the playground. This issue has continued to expand in schools and new forms have begun to develop. Cyber-bullying is the “new” form of bullying and it has made bullying easier and anonymous. This is an important issue in all school districts because the consequences have led to many unfortunate events. Parents are uninformed and teachers can be oblivious. Students should feel safe going to school not threatened.
The term cyber-bullying relates to someone harassing or bullying another by the use of technology. It has become more of a problem now more than ever with technology continuously on the rise. Cyber-bullying is considered an “online social cruelty”. Because cyber-bullying is done through the internet, there is no face-to-face interaction, leaving the perpetrator anonymous. This has made it very attractive to young children who don’t want to get into any trouble. Like all bullying, the victims of cyber-bullying react negatively. Signs of being a victim consist of being depressed or isolated, nervous around technology or when using it, and having a lowered self-esteem.
There are two types of bullying that can take place. There are direct attacks which occur through texting, instant messaging, emails, or photos which are only a few of the options. Instant messaging has been found to be the most common form of direct attacks. Another way someone can bully is by using a proxy. This is where the bully uses someone else to do the dirty work. This form also relates to hacking into accounts and posing as the victim in situations. With such a wide range of options, bullies find it easy to perform these harassments or threats through internet.
Because of the recent studies, there has not been any major conclusions on characteristics of both the perpetrator or victim. It has been found that cyber-bullying is most commonly seen among middle school students. Studies have suggested that perpetrators struggle with high levels of anxiety at that can help with verifying the victim in each case. They also lack empathy and have difficulty following school rules (Stop Bullying Now). Some statistics I have found show the reality of cyber-bullying in school. 58% of children admit to having someone say mean and hurtful things to them online. And on the other side, 53% of children say they admit to have saying mean or hurtful things to others online (How to Stop Bullying). What makes it hard is that over half of the children never tell anyone about these cases, not even their parents. With the problems constantly occurring, some cases may lead to very unfortunate outcomes that could have been prevented. Some instances have driven students to even end their own life, which is why something needs to be done and legislation needs to step in.
One of the biggest impacts of cyber-bullying on education would be students feeling afraid or humiliated to come to school. Students will want to skip out on school or activities because they are afraid they will be victimized again. Or if they continue to go to school, the student may begin to struggle with constantly isolating his or herself. Having trouble with using technology in the classroom could hinder their ability to get their work done. They will become behind in class and potentially hinder their education.
Bullying could greatly impact the school district as well. With students missing class or feeling threatened in school, they begin to struggle with their work. This in turn will not help with test scores for the district. Lower attendance will also become an issue along with more violence and larger threats. It is unfortunate that children who become so threatened will at times want revenge. There has been many cases heard of in the news about students bringing weapons to school to stand up for themselves in certain bullying attacks. The impact that bullying has on the student will in turn affect the parent. At times parents may feel their child is so threatened they will enroll them in a different school district.
Many recent studies have taken place in order to try and figure all they can about cyber-bullying. With all the new statistics, parents and students can be shown the reality of the affect it really has. Informing parents is one step to prevent bullying. We need the parents to be well equipped with all the information about prevention and what they can do for their child. It is hard for schools to discipline over something that may have happened off school grounds. Many websites and campaigns have been formed to help inform parents and get them more involved. Another prevention is educating the children. By addressing cyber-bullying in schools, the students can be well aware of what consequences are and how to look for situations. With cases popping up at schools across the States, legislation is looking at passing two new Acts that deal with cyber bullying cases.
So what can we begin to do to prevent cyber bullying? The first step is educating. We need to educate the students, the parents, and even the teachers. Schools can not stop bullying or make it disappear but being prepared for any situation is the best thing to do. Starting prevention organizations at school could be a great way to inform and educate.
Cyber bullying can impact many parts of a young child's life. Their education can be disrupted, their self-esteem can be ruined, and their security can be ripped away. As future educators, we need to make our school environment a place where children can come and feel safe and happy. We need to inform families and students of the consequences and enforce school policies or laws. Lets stand up for our students and give them the security they deserve.