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Drawing the line on cyber bullying

BoardBuzz was intrigued by this article appearing in today's USA Today. Apparently states are starting to make laws against cyberbullying, particularly in the wake of the case of Megan Meier, a 13-year old girl who committed suicide after an online hoax. According to the article, states are drafting legislation that will give schools more power over cyber bullying. "A least seven states, including Iowa, Minnesota, New Jersey and Oregon, passed cyberbullying laws in 2007. Five more ? Maryland, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont ? are considering similar legislation this year." And of course, some of these new laws are raising concerns about both freedom of speech and privacy. BoardBuzz can see both sides of the argument. As educators, we want to protect the students in our schools and ensure that all students feel safe--students who feel secure have a better learning experience. But we also get that the First Amendment shouldn't be taken lightly.

"The lines between home and school are continuing to blur with more expectations for schools to exercise authority in areas previously reserved for parents," said Max Riley, superintendent of the Randolph School District in New Jersey. After New Jersey passed a law last year requiring schools to ban cyberbullying, the state Department of Education issued guidelines. School administrators were told they "may impose consequences" for off-campus bullying ? but only when it "substantially interferes" with a school's operation. Riley said the Randolph district had been considering a policy used in other districts that goes further than the state statute by stating school officials "will impose consequences" on certain acts of off-campus bullying. Randolph's finished policy will exclude references to off-campus behavior, Riley said. "I am leery of going too far and trying to regulate too much of private life, even though I abhor some of the things that kids put up on the Internet about each other," Riley said. The American Civil Liberties Union has opposed some cyberbullying laws, saying they set up school officials to trample on students' First Amendment rights. The ACLU helped block a proposal last year to expand an Oregon law to include off-campus bullying, arguing that school officials have no right to impose punishment on students for what they do away from school.

So what's a school to do? And how are we to protect students from unwanted bullying? BoardBuzz doesn't have the answer. But we do have some insight into the appropriate use of online technology. You can check out Creating and Connecting, NSBA's recent report on the online habits of teens and 'tweens. You might also be interested in checking out a recent debate over at the Economist that focused on whether or not social networking technology can be used as an educational tool.

Full post as published by BoardBuzz: NSBA's Daily Weblog on February 07, 2008 (boomark / email).