Over the years, school’s have debated whether or not they need to develop policies regarding cyberbullying. The advancement use of technology to bully among young children stops school officials in their tracks.
According to the National Conference of State Legislature, The Safe School Climate Act states that schools need to include cyberbullying within their existing bullying policy. The act prevents harassment, intimidation, or bullying to ensure a safe learning environment for students to achieve academic success.
“It is very important that children feel like they can approach an adult, including a school official, about being a victim,” states counselor Amy Loftus. However, many students don’t report anything because their school will not take action over the situation and can sometimes make the issue worse.
Teenagers not only bully at school but through the use of social media. This is known as cyberbullying which uses an electronic device to send hurtful or threatening messages. Victims of cyberbullying no longer can feel safe at home because bulling continues where they should feel safe.
School psychologists, or counselors, can provide the school with guidelines in awareness promotion, prevention and policy making to address cyberbullying. It is important for school officials to become aware of the warning signs for victims.
They may become socially isolated from other children that they would normally socialize with, passive when before they had an outgoing personality and show symptoms of depression.
School psychologists can use a couple different way to bring awareness to the school’s faculty. They can develop workshops for understanding social networking sites and what specifically cyberbullying means. Also, they can start training programs for knowing how to deal with victims.
In order to help students feel safe within the walls of their school, officials need to establish a prevention plan that both faculty member and students are aware of. The plan should contain what cyberbullying is and the impact it has on victims, to be respectful of others when online, the responsible use of technology, and the legal ramifications.
Along with the prevention plan, a mentoring program helps students get involved with the issue. The program involves older students helping the younger with any issues of bullying or any other problems they may have in their lives.
The mentoring program helps students to get involved with the prevention of cyberbullying. With the use of students, victims may feel more inclined to come forward because they can talk to kids their own age or older that may have already dealt with their own issues.
Schools have legal right to intervene with the issues of cyberbullying. In order for the programs at school to be successful, parental involvement is very critical.
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