Date:Aug18,2011 CyberBullyingbyKids&Parents WehaveallbeentoPTAgroupsandSchoolBoardmeetings(andsomesportsdays)whenparents shoutouttheirworriesandbecomebelligerent.Andweveallreadnewsreportsofparentssometimes becomingviolent,fueledbythepassiontheyhavefortheirkidsoragainstthoselookingaftertheirkids. And,tobehonest,Ihavepassionatelybeardedaprincipleortwoinmytime;alocalmomandIonce wentballisticoveraninappropriatesexeducationbookgiventomy12yearoldbutthatisanother story. Asurveyjustconductedhasrevealed,however,thatoveronethirdofallteachersarebeingabused viatheInternet.ItissosimpletoventontheInternetwithoutrealizingthedamageyouaredoing.And rememberweallknowofthedisgracesometeachershavesufferedfalselybybeingaccusedofacrime theyarefound,later,aftertheyareimmediatelycanned,nottohaveperpetrated.Falseaccusationsand attacksintheeducationalworldstick,forever. TheInternetabuseofteachersissobadthatapanelwasformedtoinvestigatejustwhoisdoingthis abuseandcyberbullying:72%isdonebythekidsandonly26%byparents.

ButavoiceontheInternetis withoutage/rolespecificity,sotheycountequally.LittleJohnny,anerdbully,canwreakhavocon someoneslifesworkwiththeclickofamouse.Andhedoes. Andthemajorityoftargetsarewomenteachers.ThereareonlinesocialnetworkslikeFacebookand Twitterformedtomobabuseteachers,schools.Tobefair,Facebookofferstipsforteachersand promisestorespondtoreportsofindividualharassmentwithin24hours."Theseonlinediscussionsarea reflectionofthosehappeningoffline,"saidaFacebookspokesman."Butwhileyoucan'treporta conversationoutsidetheschooloreasilystopapersonsendingabusive,anonymousemails,Facebook haveworkedhardtodevelopreportingmechanismsthatenablepeopletoreportoffensivecontentthey areconcernedabout." Butitgetsworse.Nowkidsareevenpostingvideoofteachersinaction,inclassrooms,editedand sometimesphotoshopped,tomaketheteacherscareerstotterand,often,fall.Itsjustopinion,like anyotherblog,sayproponents.Thereisevenawebsitecalledratemyteachersdotcomwithover15 millioncomments,someofthemabusiveandwithoutproof.

"Thisparentalabuseissomethingwehaven'tcomeacrossbefore,"saidProfAndyPhippenof PlymouthU.,theauthorofthereport."Sometimestheyareabusingotherchildrenatschoolaswell. Schoolsneedtoclampdownonit,oritwillincreaseinprevalence,"hewarned. PartoftheproblemhereisthatthelevelplayingfieldoftheInternetgivesdisproportionatepower totheindividualagainstwhatmanykidsandsomeparentsfeelisthestatusandrespectteachersused toget.Inshort,iftheInternetgivesthemthepowertoequalizewhattheyfeelisthesuperiorattitude ofateacher,theywillbringtheteacherdownsimplytomakethemselvesfeelbetter.Andremember, theydonotneedtogothroughchannels,noneedtophonetheschoolsuperintendantorheadmaster. Haveagripeagainstyourteacher?Burythem. Readingsomeofthecommentsonwebsitesisfrightening.Cyberbullyingisviolent.Whenyourchild isbeingabusiveathome,youremovehisorhertoysandsendthemtotheirroom(orgiveatimeout). Forcyberbullies,parentsandkids,timeforawebout.