Mary Kate McNulty GRIT 593 Research Paper December 3, 2011 Bully !" s !#th !" !

e$ t# sch##ls ar#u!% the c#u!try a!% rece!tly str cter la$s ha&e bee! put ! place ! ma!y states' There ha&e bee! rep#rts that bully !" s #! the r se but $ th the push (#r a!t )bully !" la$s r "ht !#$ bully !" s be !" tal*e% ab#ut m#re a!% m#re cases are c#m !" (#r$ar%' + "r#$ !" c#!cer! ! sch##ls acr#ss the !at #! s h#$ t# pr#tect stu%e!ts (r#m harassme!t #r stal* !" #!l !e' ,yberbully !" s %e( ! tely #! the r se a!% sch##ls are u!sure h#$ t# ha!%le cyberbully !" because th s s a !e$ type #( bully !" a!% #!e that s u!clear le"ally -+brams 2011.' +cc#r% !" t# the Nat #!al ,#!(ere!ce #( /tate 0e" slatures, cyberbully !" s 1electr#! c harassme!t #r bully !" am#!" m !#rs $ th ! a sch##l c#!te2t'3 ,yberbully !" ca! #ccur (r#m a $ %e ra!"e #( tech!#l#"y4 ema l, chat r##ms, te2t !", s#c al me% a s tes, cell ph#!es, ph#t#"raphs #r & %e#s, a!% $ebs tes' 1,yberbully !" shares ma!y #( the same attr butes as (ace)t#)(ace bully !" such as a p#$er mbala!ce $h ch causes a se!se #( helpless!ess #! the part #( the & ct m, repet t #! a!% the !te!t t# hurt3 -,ampbell, ,r#ss, /pears, /lee, 2010). 5#r s#meth !" t# be c#!s %ere% bully !" #r cyberbully !", the bully !" !ee%s t# cause a !e"at &e e((ect #! the stu%e!t6s lear! !" e!& r#!me!t' Mea! !" the stu%e!t s scare% t# c#me t# sch##l #r s u!able t# lear! because #( the bully !"' +ls#, the stu%e!t ca!!#t ( "ht bac* $he! be !" bull e% because that s c#!(r#!tat #!, !#t bully !"' 5#r the stu%e!t t# be truly cyberbull e%, t !ee%s t# be #!e)s %e% a!% !e"at &ely mpact !" a stu%e!t6s lear! !"' ,yberbully !" ca! be e&e! m#re %estruct &e tha! bully !" t# a & ct m because there s the cha!ce (#r a lar"er au% e!ce' 7ma ls, p ctures #r & %e#s ca! be (#r$ar%e% #r

a $ebs te ca! be create% a!% the l !* se!t t# a!y#!e' +ls#, there s the p#$er #( the $r tte! $#r%, & %e#s, #r ma"es' 8he! be !" bull e% ! pers#!, a & ct m may !#t remember e&ery $#r% sa % t# h m' 9#$e&er, $he! cyberbull e% thr#u"h ema l, te2t, #r % " tal me% a, the & ct m ca! rea% #r see the messa"e #&er a!% #&er a"a !' 8he! cyberbull e% there s less #( a! escape' Pre& #usly $he! #!e $as bull e% at sch##l they (elt sa(e at h#me' N#$ & ct ms ca! be cyberbull e% 2:;< thr#u"h the !ter!et, ema l, a!% cell ph#!e' 5 !ally, there s m#re #( a cha!ce (#r the bully !" t# be a!#!ym#us $he! cyberbully !"' /tates acr#ss the !at #! rec#"! =e that cyberbully !" s bec#m !" m#re #( a c#!cer! (#r sch##ls a!% stu%e!ts t#%ay' 0e" slat #! has bee! passe% ! m#st states, $h ch " &es the sch##l % str ct c#!tr#l ! ma* !" p#l c es re"ar% !" cyberbully !"' M#st sch##l % str cts are up%at !" bully !" a!% harassme!t p#l c es t# !clu%e a part ab#ut cyberbully !"' D str cts are als# able t# %eterm !e appr#pr ate c#!se>ue!ces (#r cyberbully !"' These c#!se>ue!ces ra!"e (r#m pare!t c#!(ere!ces, %ete!t #!, suspe!s #!, a!% ! e2treme cases, e2puls #!' There s als# !#$ a "r#$ !" push (#r !ter!et sa(ety e%ucat #! that has a (#cus #! cyberbully !" -N,0/ 2011.' 1The key to reducing the incidence and impact of cyberbullying is education, not just about bullying but about all social relationships ( ampbell, et. al., 2010). !tudents are not the only ones recei"ing internet safety education. #arents are encouraged to attend speakers and trainings so that they are a$are of $hat%s going on, potential conse&uences, and ho$ they can help at home. M#st le" slat #! ! states acr#ss the c#u!try rec#"! =es cyberbully !" that #ccurs

#! sch##l "r#u!%s #r at sch##l e&e!ts but %#es !#t a%%ress acts #( cyberbully !" that #ccur #(( sch##l "r#u!%s' ,yberbully !" s c#mple2 because cyberspace %#es !#t ha&e b#u!%ar es' Ma!y bel e&e that #!ce s#meth !" happe!s a$ay (r#m sch##l t s !# l#!"er the sch##l6s resp#!s b l ty t# ta*e c#!tr#l #&er % sc pl ! !" the stu%e!ts' There are !#$ a (e$ states that !clu%e cyberbully !" acts that #r " !ate #(()campus' These states are ma* !" % str cts "et !&#l&e% because these acts ca! st ll ha&e a (r "hte! !" a!% % srupt &e e((ect #! a stu%e!t6s lear! !" e!& r#!me!t' N#$ that le" slat #! s be !" passe%, sch##l % str cts are (#rce% t# %e!t (y a!% %eal $ th cases #( cyberbully !"' +%m ! strat#rs are u!sure #( h#$ t# ha!%le cyberbully !" %ue t# the (act that there s l ttle le"al a%& ce #r pre& #us cases t# re(er t#, a!% th#se le"al cases !&#l& !" cyberbully !" are !#t c#!s ste!t ! the r rul !"s' Ma!y states are mpleme!t !" !e$ la$s that a%%ress cyberbully !" but sch##ls are be !" " &e! l ttle "u %a!ce #r supp#rt s !ce each % str ct s creat !" the r #$! "u %el !es' 'ducators and administrators need to feel confident in their decisions for a change in cyberbullying to take place ((brams 2011). +%m ! strat#rs (re>ue!tly 1a"oid meaningful discipline because they fear that the students and their parents $ill respond $ith litigation claiming rights "iolations ((brams 2011). #arents $ill claim that the )irst (mendment protects their child. *n the past, courts ha"e ruled that students% )irst (mendment e+pressi"e rights are not as substantial as those of adults in the outside $orld because there is a need in public school for discipline, health, and safety. #arents $ill also claim that the school has no right getting in"ol"ed because it happened off school

grounds.

ourts ha"e ruled that the school can become in"ol"ed $hen

a situation causes an unsafe and insecure en"ironment for a child to learn $hich does not let the school fulfill its purpose. /ch##ls sh#ul% be c#!( %e!t ! $ays t# ha!%le cyberbully !" $he! t #ccurs ! sch##l, #! sch##l pr#perty, #r #(( sch##l "r#u!%s a!% a((ects a stu%e!t #r sta(( member6s sa(ety' 5#r e2ample, ! t$# s m lar cases, J.S. v. Blue Mountain School District a!% Layshock ex. Rel. Layshock v. Hermitage School District, stu%e!ts ! b#th sch##l % str cts create% (a*e pr#( les #( the r sch##l6s pr !c pal (r#m a! #(()campus c#mputer' B#th pr#( les create% c#!tr#&ersy at the sch##l a!% ! b#th !sta!ces the stu%e!t $as suspe!%e%' I! J.S. v. Blue Mountain School District the c#urt rule% that the suspe!s #! $as a! acceptable c#!se>ue!ce' I! Layshock ex. Rel. Layshock v. Hermitage School District the c#urt rule% 1that the sch##l % str ct c#ul% !#t establ sh a su(( c e!t !e2us bet$ee! the stu%e!t6s cyber speech a!% a substa!t al % srupt #! #( the sch##l e!& r#!me!t,3 -Da& s 2011.' Because #( the !c#!s ste!c es a!% u!certa !t es #( cyberbully !", t s mperat &e that sch##l % str cts mpleme!t th#u"ht(ul p#l c es that e2pla ! e2pectat #!s a!% clear c#!se>ue!ces' Pare!ts a!% stu%e!ts !ee% t# s "! these p#l c es s# that ( there s a pr#blem $ th cyberbully !", there s alrea%y a p#l cy ! place that all stu%e!ts a!% pare!ts are a$are #( a!% u!%ersta!% the p#te!t al c#!se>ue!ces' D str cts !ee% t# #((er pre&e!t &e measures t# stu%e!ts re"ar% !" cyberbully !", such as "uest spea*ers, pre& #us & ct ms, a!% la$ e!(#rceme!t' D str cts !ee% t# "et pare!ts t# u!%ersta!% the se&er ty #( cyberbully !" by ha& !" them s "! the % str ct) mp#se% p#l c es a!% #((er !" cyberbully !" spea*ers a!% la$ e!(#rceme!t at ! "htly meet !"s'

The 2011)2012 sch##l year has br#u"ht ma!y cha!"es t# sch##ls ! Ne$ ?ersey' Ne$ ?ersey passe% str ct le" slat #! re"ar% !" bully !" a!% cyberbully !" that starte% /eptember 2011' There are !#$ "u %el !es e2pla ! !" $hat e2actly %e( !es cyberbully !" a!% h#$ t# "# ab#ut the !&est "at #! pr#cess, !clu% !" a str ct t mel !e' /ch##ls are re>u re% t# ha&e a! +!t )Bully !" /pec al st at each sch##l t# !&est "ate a!y c#mpla !ts #r p#te!t al cases' /ch##l % str cts must rep#rt all bully !" cases t# the state t$# t mes a year a!% sch##ls the! "et a 1"ra%e3 #! the state6s $ebs te' 8h le the state has " &e! much !(#rmat #! #! the r e2pectat #!s #( sch##l % str cts, there are st ll s# ma!y u!a!s$ere% >uest #!s' +s !c %e!ts a!% c#urt cases c#me up, there $ ll be a better u!%ersta!% !" #( these !e$ la$s' But (#r !#$ the Ne$ ?ersey "#&er!me!t has set e2pectat #!s a!% t s up t# the sch##ls t# meet these e2pectat #!s s# that bully !" a!% cyberbully !" start t# %ecrease' +s bully !" la$s "# !t# a((ect ar#u!% the c#u!try a!% bec#me str cter, sch##ls !ee% t# be a$are #( cyberbully !"' /ch##l % str cts !ee% t# clearly lay #ut e2pectat #!s a!% % sc pl !ary c#!se>ue!ces but there als# !ee%s t# be a sta!%ar% that s e2pecte% (#r the e!t re state, l *e Ne$ ?ersey s start !"' It6s up t# states t# ma!%ate the !e$ le" slat #! a!% results $ ll !#t be see! u!t l the la$ s e!(#rce% (#r >u te s#me t me' I( there $ere state$ %e e2pectat #!s tha! the c#urts $#ul% be m#re c#!s ste!t a!% sch##l % str cts $#ul% be better at *!#$ !" h#$ t# ha!%le cyberbully !" s tuat #!s' 8e ca! #!ly h#pe cyberbully !" $ ll %ecrease as la$s bec#me str cter a!% e2pectat #!s are ra se%'

8#r*s , te% ,ampbell, Mar ly! +', ,r#ss, D#!!a, /pears, Barbara, @ /lee, Ph ll p -2010. Cyberbullying : Legal m!lications "or Schools. /em !ar ser es -,e!tre (#r /trate" c 7%ucat #! -A c'.. -11B.' The ,e!tre (#r /trate" c 7%ucat #!, 7ast Melb#ur!e, A ct#r a' Da& s, M chelle' /ch##ls Tac*le 0e"al T$ sts a!% Tur!s #( ,yberbully !"' Publ she%4 5ebruary :, 2011' http4;;$$$'e%$ee*'#r";%%;art cles;2011;02;09;02cyberbully !"'h0:'html D#u"las, +brams' 2011' 1,ecogni-ing the #ublic !chools% (uthority to .iscipline !tudents% /ff0 ampus yberbullying of lassmates. Journal on Criminal and Civil Confinement, 37(181) Nat #!al ,#!(ere!ce #( /tate 0e" slatures' ?a!uary 2011' 1/tate ,yberstal* !", ,yberharassme!t a!% ,yberbully !" 0a$s'3 http4;;$$$'!csl'#r";%e(ault'asp2C tab %D13:95