Responding to Cyber Bullying

Jill Joline Myers - Western Illinois University, USA
Donna S. McCaw - Western Illinois University, USA
Leaunda S. Hemphill - Western Illinois University, USA

Additional resources:

Other Titles in:
Anti-Bullying Strategies | School Safety | Technology

March 2011 | 216 pages | Corwin

The public expects school personnel to resolve cyber bullying issues that affect primary and secondary students. School administrators struggle with their role, legal authority to intervene, decision to censor communications by minors, and disciplinary decision making. School authority to intercede in student expression is governed by constitutional provisions, legislative enactments, school district regulations, Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs), and prior court precedents. Because cyber bullying is a recent phenomenon, the constitutionality and effectiveness of these measures have yet to be proven or established. Schools do not have the luxury of waiting for clear laws, proven policies, or precedential legal authority to develop and surface. As a result, many schools turn to the courts for guidance when conflict arises between a school's authority and a student's Constitutional First Amendment rights.

This manual for school administrators is dedicated to the competing principles: 1) that schools are not required to surrender control over school activities to students, and 2) that students are exposed to a robust exchange of ideas. The classroom needs to be a marketplace of ideas where First Amendment free expression exists, but a safe and orderly school environment conducive to learning must be maintained.

This manual provides public school leaders and front-line school personnel with data-driven solutions for resolving cyber bullying incidents.

Preface

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

Introduction: The Digital Generation Expresses Itself

Part I. Resolving School Cyber Situations

1. Untangling the Confusion Involving Public School Censorship

2. Supreme Court Speaks on Student Expression

3. The Local Take on Student Expression

4. Inappropriate Student Expressions Controlled by Fraser

5. Antipedagogical Student Expressions Controlled by Hazelwood

6. Disruptive Student Expressions Controlled by Tinker

7. School Authority Beyond the Schoolhouse Gate

8. A School's Duty to Protect

9. Proactive Approaches to Cyber Bullying

Part II. Lessons Learned and Rules to Live By

10. Four Lessons Learned From Experience

11. Top Ten Rules That Govern School Authority Over Student Cyber Expressions

Part III. The MATRIX: An Administrator's Decision-Making Tool

12. Introduction to the MATRIX

13. Working the MATRIX

Glossary

Index

Supplements

Supplemental Website
This companion website houses the book's Matrix in an editable format to better meet your needs.

Author Blog
This site is dedicated to providing public school leaders and other front-line school personnel with data-driven solutions for resolving cyber bullying incidents. Also contains information about the authors' workshop.

"This concise, yet thorough guide offers practical and legally sound strategies to effectively confront, document, and successfully resolve allegations of cyber bullying. Given the dire consequences of inaction or ignorance, this book is required reading."

David Freitas, Professor

Indiana University, South Bend, IN

"This book takes a current topic of concern, describes the legal precedents involved in the discipline of students who engage in this type of behavior, and then wraps up the text with a very helpful Matrix Tool to allow for consistency of response when dealing with a sensitive cyber situation. I’d recommend this text for all administrators!"

Jill Gildea, Superintendent

Fremont School District 79, Mundelein, IL

"A quality administrative outlook on an important topic. This resource is a healthy blend of the theoretical and practical. It is a useful resource for school administrators or a committee of teachers exploring the topic in order to establish their own policies."

Library Media Connection, August/September 2011

"This is an extremely timely reference book that provides educators with the background and the tools necessary to deal with Cyber bullying in an objective, yet proactive way. This book helps to establish a balance between rights and responsibilities for all."

Barb Keating, Principal

Lord Kelvin Community School, New Westminster, BC, Canada

"This resource is a healthy blend of the theoretical and practical and a useful resource for school administrators, teacher committees exploring the topic to establish their own policies, or even graduate students investigating the topic. Highly recommended."

Jessica Hudson, Librarian

Southern Crescent Technical College, Thomaston, GA