Cyberbullying and the Schools

[Annie]

Ban all cell phone activity by students on school property during classroom hours.

That's our school district's policy. Students may have them, but they need to be off and not visible. If a locker, backpack, or pants rings/vibrates it will be confiscated and parents must retrieve. If even an 'off' cell is within eyesight, same result.

Issues out of school, should be that. Parents need to get a restraining order or whatever they need to do. Requests for different classrooms can be made, but that's really enough for the school.

 

[chanel]

We had a similar policy Annie, but like so many other rules in my school, it was not enforced and got completely out of hand. The administration refuses to "bother" parents at home or work unless it's an emergency.

My niece was a victim last year and my sister in law asked that the BULLY's class be changed. They told her "no can do". They would only change her daughter's class, which she didn't want. The teacher separated them and eventually the bully girl found a new victim. Sad for that kid.

 

[Madeline]

Using the cops (and presumably new harrassment and cyberbullying laws) on kids seems to me like hitting a fly with a hammer. I don't understand why schools cannot outlaw all 'net access on campus and any social networking off campus that uses the image, etc. of another student.

Why's it so freaking hard for schools to discipline students anymore? What happened to suspending or expelling them?

chanel, that Utah woman did an evil, evil thing and deserves prison time for it, IMO.

 

[chanel]

Madeline - you have no idea how difficult it is. Too many sue happy people and too many parents who think their children can do no wrong. I could go on and on...

This stuff used to make me crazy when I first started teaching. I was over 30 and a mother of two. I couldn't get over the fact that there were so few "grownups" in charge. My husband purchased me a paper weight of the three "see no evil" monkeys. I focus on that when my blood starts boiling. Lol

And modbert - in the event of a real emergency lockdown, the worst thing kids can do is start calling their folks. Parents would be charging the school and interfering with law enforcement, putting lives at risk.

 

[Annie]

Using the cops (and presumably new harrassment and cyberbullying laws) on kids seems to me like hitting a fly with a hammer. I don't understand why schools cannot outlaw all 'net access on campus and any social networking off campus that uses the image, etc. of another student.

Why's it so freaking hard for schools to discipline students anymore? What happened to suspending or expelling them?

chanel, that Utah woman did an evil, evil thing and deserves prison time for it, IMO.

Parents already want schools to provide before and after daycare, teach kids 'character', sex education, manners, how to stop bullying at school. Now you want schools to deal with 'out of school' behaviors? Seems the solution would be for the schools to take over the children at birth.

 

[Madeline]

Madeline - you have no idea how difficult it is. Too many sue happy people and too many parents who think their children can do no wrong. I could go on and on...

This stuff used to make me crazy when I first started teaching. I was over 30 and a mother of two. I couldn't get over the fact that there were so few "grownups" in charge. My husband purchased me a paper weight of the three "see no evil" monkeys. I focus on that when my blood starts boiling. Lol

And modbert - in the event of a real emergency lockdown, the worst thing kids can do is start calling their folks. Parents would be charging the school and interfering with law enforcement, putting lives at risk.

I know this, chanel. IMO, there is NO reason any kid needs a cell phone while at school. The schools should just ban the damned things completely. And I know that school officials are afraid of parents (where did little Suzie or Johnny learn to bully, if not at home?) but I don't think the problem can be ignored.

Do you feel turning to the police is the solution then?

 

[chanel]

Well Sometimes an embarrassimg visit to little Suzie's home is all it takes. But obviously the police would have to think the bullying constitutes true harrassment and or threats.

The irony is that school officials have far more leeway when it comes to searches than the cops do. But they are very hesitant to use that tool.

 

[Annie]

Well Sometimes an embarrassimg visit to little Suzie's home is all it takes. But obviously the police would have to think the bullying constitutes true harrassment and or threats.

The irony is that school officials have far more leeway when it comes to searches than the cops do. But they are very hesitant to use that tool.

Agreed. Due process is limited at schools. With that said, I think the idea of just checking backpacks, lockers, desks is wrong and sends the wrong messages. Now if there is some reason to suspect illegal or dangerous possibilities, by all means. Same with parenting. I never woke up one day and decided to ransack my kids rooms, just in case. When though there were signs they were problems in school or I suspected something was up, sure I exercised my right to breach their privacy.

Kids may carry cells on their person, as long as they aren't on. Yes, the vibrate can be heard. Chanel, one thing about the parents having to pick up the cell, the school doesn't call them, the student must tell them they need to pick it up. In most instances the parents keep them for a time-meaning the kid loses their privileges, which is certainly the parents choice.

 

[Madeline]

Well Sometimes an embarrassimg visit to little Suzie's home is all it takes. But obviously the police would have to think the bullying constitutes true harrassment and or threats.

The irony is that school officials have far more leeway when it comes to searches than the cops do. But they are very hesitant to use that tool.

Annie, forgive me, but if my child is being cyberbullied, I want more than a response from the bully's parent. I want some sort of discipline or punishment.

 

[Annie]

Well Sometimes an embarrassimg visit to little Suzie's home is all it takes. But obviously the police would have to think the bullying constitutes true harrassment and or threats.

The irony is that school officials have far more leeway when it comes to searches than the cops do. But they are very hesitant to use that tool.

Annie, forgive me, but if my child is being cyberbullied, I want more than a response from the bully's parent. I want some sort of discipline or punishment.

And if it were occurring from a source while at school, I'm with you. If not, the parents of both the bully and victim need to do what needs to be done.

No one has the right to call your house an unreasonable number of times to haze you or family members. Same with text or emails. If it's happening, a restraining order is in order. Again, if allowed at school and not addressed, parents have legal recourse, just as at home.

We actually had a parent come to school in August, wanting the school to prevent what had been happening over the summer from continuing. Schools are not the police.

 

[ConHog]

So schools need to prohibit cell phones on campus? All schools, even high schools? What about off-campus use of a pc or whatnot to harrass a student?

Our policy is NO cell phones pre 9th grade PERIOD. High school students may have them, but they are to be turned OFF unless you need to make an emergency phone call, duly approved by the teacher of whatever class you are in. They are also to remain turned OFF during lunch hours. any student who breaks this rule gets 3 days ISS and their phone confiscated until the parent comes to a meeting with the principal. Parents hate being inconvenienced.

 

[chanel]

Well Sometimes an embarrassimg visit to little Suzie's home is all it takes. But obviously the police would have to think the bullying constitutes true harrassment and or threats.

The irony is that school officials have far more leeway when it comes to searches than the cops do. But they are very hesitant to use that tool.

Annie, forgive me, but if my child is being cyberbullied, I want more than a response from the bully's parent. I want some sort of discipline or punishment.

A few families have successfully sued schools for failing to protect their children from bullies. But when the Beverly Vista School in Beverly Hills, Calif., disciplined Evan S. Cohen's eighth-grade daughter for cyberbullying, he took on the school district.

After school one day in May 2008, Cohen's daughter, known in court papers as J. C., videotaped friends at a cafe, egging them on as they laughed and made mean-spirited, sexual comments about another eighth-grade girl, C. C., calling her "ugly," "spoiled," a "brat" and a "slut." J. C. posted the video on YouTube. The next day, the school suspended her for two days.

"What incensed me," said Cohen, a music industry lawyer in Los Angeles, "was that these people were going to suspend my daughter for something that happened outside of school." On behalf of his daughter, he sued.

Judge Wilson ruled in favor of the young videographer, because the disruption was only minimal: administrators dealt with the matter quietly and before lunch recess.

The court overturned the suspension, but crafted a balance between a school's authority and a student's freedom of expression. When a student's speech interferes substantially with the school's educational mission, a school can impose discipline.

The district had to pay J. C.'s costs and lawyers' fees: $107,150.80.

Read more at: Online bullies pull schools into the fray

The bitch's dad was a lawyer. Surprise, surprise.
Damned if they do; damned if they don't. That's why they:

 

[ConHog]

Well Sometimes an embarrassimg visit to little Suzie's home is all it takes. But obviously the police would have to think the bullying constitutes true harrassment and or threats.

The irony is that school officials have far more leeway when it comes to searches than the cops do. But they are very hesitant to use that tool.

Annie, forgive me, but if my child is being cyberbullied, I want more than a response from the bully's parent. I want some sort of discipline or punishment.

A few families have successfully sued schools for failing to protect their children from bullies. But when the Beverly Vista School in Beverly Hills, Calif., disciplined Evan S. Cohen's eighth-grade daughter for cyberbullying, he took on the school district.

After school one day in May 2008, Cohen's daughter, known in court papers as J. C., videotaped friends at a cafe, egging them on as they laughed and made mean-spirited, sexual comments about another eighth-grade girl, C. C., calling her "ugly," "spoiled," a "brat" and a "slut." J. C. posted the video on YouTube. The next day, the school suspended her for two days.

"What incensed me," said Cohen, a music industry lawyer in Los Angeles, "was that these people were going to suspend my daughter for something that happened outside of school." On behalf of his daughter, he sued.

Judge Wilson ruled in favor of the young videographer, because the disruption was only minimal: administrators dealt with the matter quietly and before lunch recess.

The court overturned the suspension, but crafted a balance between a school's authority and a student's freedom of expression. When a student's speech interferes substantially with the school's educational mission, a school can impose discipline.

The district had to pay J. C.'s costs and lawyers' fees: $107,150.80.

Read more at: Online bullies pull schools into the fray

The bitch's dad was a lawyer. Surprise, surprise.
Damned if they do; damned if they don't. That's why they:

See, this is where some vigilante justice needs to be employed. I would definitely be ok with someone beating the shit out of that father. Maybe even myself. Who the fuck encourages that kind of behavior from their kids?

 

[chanel]

Harrison High School is one of at least seven districts now dealing with an intense case of cyberbullying. The list ranked -- by first and last name -- teenage girls by their alleged sexual encounters. It was first posted on Facebook and then sent to students via mass messages on BlackBerry Messenger. Almost all of the students on the list are younger than 18 and as young as 14-years-old.

The Facebook group page entitled "Westchester SMUT List"quickly gained notoriety and more than 7,000 fans in one day. It is believed that the word "smut" was used instead of "slut" because of Facebook rules. The Facebook page has now been removed.

One student said, "It's definitely all around the school, and it's crazy. Everyone has it. Everyone has seen it."

Another girl said, "If I was on the list I would think it's the end of the world. Nobody wants to be talked about like that."

Dr. James Ruck, the principal of Harrison High, says the school will not tolerate the creation and posting of the list. He says the school is working with police to get to the bottom of it.

"For any youngster that was involved in doing it, you deserve the consequences that are coming to you," Ruck says. "I can tell you, if it is someone in this school, we will press it to the fullest extent."

The school district is working with a lawyer to weigh their options as far as punishment goes for any student that is confirmed to be connected with making and distributing the list.

There were 100 girls on each school district's "smut list". There is apparently another list for male students.

Outrage Over High School 'Smut List'

My prediction? Nada punishment.

Back in the day schools could discipline students with full support of the parents. Now every suspension is subject to possible litigation. Even when the kids are 100% guilty.

No one wants to parent anymore. Everyone wants to be their kids' friend. And possibly get rich off it too.

But to all those folks on here that like to believe that it's ok for teens to experiment sexually because "it's natural" or some shit, guess what? A slut in the 1950's is still called a slut in 2011. I mean a "smut".

Sadly, many of these girls may be innocent.