Cyberbullying is no different to offline bullying.  Bullying is bullying is bullying.  Some may argue that it (cyberbullying) is worse as there is an element of anonymity about it and emotional detachment at the time of the bullying that does not bode well for stirring empathy.

Is cyberbullying prevalent at ISB?  Well, we honestly don’t know.  Some colleagues shared stories they knew of but statistically, we do not know.  Finding out may prove equally hard.  Research indicates that most adolescents keep bullying incidents to themselves, believing that to tell, will only make the situation worse.

Elona Hartjes blogged about some eye-openers she’d gleaned from the book Mean Girls by Kaye Randall & Allyson A. Bowen.

Our AUP for elementary school mentions it, but does not expand into any specific detail.  If we stick to the premise that bullying is bullying then this is quite clear:

General school rules for behavior and communications apply.

No profane, abusive or impolite language should be used to communicate nor should materials be accessed which are not in line with the rules of school behavior.  A good rule to follow is never access, view or send materials which you would not want your teachers and parents to see.

Bullying in the school, playground, buses etc is not tolerated, nor should cyberbullying.  But is this clear enough – do our students realise that bullying is bullying regardless of where it takes place – is cyberspace a misconception held by our students.  The more digital we become, the more embedded this knowledge should become with our students.  It should not be taught in isolation, it should be part of what we talk about each time we “go” digital – it’s part of being pro-active.

Cyberbully gets it own heading in the ES AUP but there is nothing in the paragraph about it.

Computer Trespass or Cyberbullying
Illegal or unauthorized access, alteration or deletion of computer programs or applications is known as trespass.  Computer trespass, depending upon the circumstances, is a punishable offense that may receive sanctions for Classroom Disruption, Stealing, or Damaging Personal or School Property.

Seems like this might be the right time for our AUP to be updated.

Many colleagues felt we out to find another name for it too.  Apparently the older students think it’s a terrible name (it makes them snigger, it sounds geekish).  If it’s no different to any other bullying, then we should just call it what it is ….. bullying …… there just happens to be one more place where it can, and does, happen.  And it would be very remiss of us not to be pro-active about the destruction of it wherever it may take place.

Image Attribution: bullying.co.uk poster: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3604/3406087027_2c39a300ac_o.jpg