Safeguard Your Students Against Cyber Bullying (continued)

• Sending mean or threatening messages to a classmate via email, IM (instant messaging), or text messages.
• Spreading rumors about classmates through email, IM, or text messages.
• Creating a Web site or MySpace (or other social-networking) account that targets another student.
• Sharing fake or embarrassing photos or videos of classmates with others via a cell phone or the Web.
• Stealing a classmate's login and password to send mean or embarrassing messages from his or her account.

Include Steps for Staff and Students

List the procedures that staff and students should take to maintain a safe and respectful school environment.

Staff examples:

• Teach lessons to educate students about cyber bullying.
• Respond quickly and sensitively to cyber-bullying reports.
• Take seriously families' concerns about cyber bullying.
• Look into all reported cyber-bullying incidents.

Student examples:

• Treat each other respectfully, in person and online.
• Refuse to cyber bully or to let others be cyber bullied.
• Refuse to participate in or encourage any form of cyber bullying.
• Report cyber bullying to an adult when you become aware of it.

Since cyber bullying may not actually be committed while your students are in school, it's important to involve families. Chances are you'll need to work closely with students and families to make sure that cyber bullying concerns are taken seriously and dealt with successfully.

by Angela Fountas
Staff Writer
Committee for Children

References

i-SAFE. Cyber Bullying: Statistics and Tips. Retrieved October 5, 2007.
http://www.isafe.org/channels/sub.php?ch=op&sub_id=media_cyber_bullying

MSN Cyberbullying Report: Bloggings, Instant Messaging and Email Bullying Amongst Today's Teens. MSN UK. Retrieved October 8, 2007. http://www.msn.co.uk/cyberbullying

Willard, N. E. (2006). Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats: Responding to the Challenges of Online Social Cruelty, Threats, and Distress. Eugene, OR: Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use.