Schools Combating Cyberbullying?

[HardOCP News]

The Wall Street Journal has an article today on the topic of schools combating cyberbullying. Is this really the epidemic they are making out to be?

MySpace.com, the popular networking site, last fall released a guide for school administrators, advising them to contact the site about false or offensive user profiles or to report threats or cyberbullying. It also created a hotline and email address for the exclusive use of school officials to contact MySpace.

 

[-(Xyphox)-]

Cyber Bullying? Whats next
Sounds like some BS to me

 

[provoko]

Cyber Bullying? Whats next
Sounds like some BS to me

It's been going on for years now, before blogging was even a term. Why do you think there are so many school shootings? The last two school shootings were prevented because someone noticed someone hinting at it on myspace.com.

 

[-(Xyphox)-]

It's been going on for years now, before blogging was even a term. Why do you think there are so many school shootings? The last two school shootings were prevented because someone noticed someone hinting at it on myspace.com.

.... I say again.. whats next

 

[mrjminer]

Seriously, schools need to let kids get into fights again without expelling them. How many school shootings were there when kids would just beat the hell out of each other?

 

[hordaktheman]

You guys must be somewhat out of the loop 'cause this form of bullying is actually a rather huge issue.

Seriously, schools need to let kids get into fights again without expelling them. How many school shootings were there when kids would just beat the hell out of each other?

More. School shootings have been going down over the past 15 years.

 

[GJSNeptune]

School shootings would decrease even more if the press didn't publicize them beyond a local broadcast.


It'd be hard to decrease the number of students who are disgruntled enough to bring a gun to school and/or actually use it, but seeing other students on TV with the guts to shoot people is only going to encourage these other students to finally follow through.

Plus there's the possibility of copycats. These students feed off of suffering, both their own and seeing others disrupted, especially because of their actions. It's only going to appear 'cool' to them seeing that they could go to school, start shooting, and be on the news for weeks.

I've no problem with authorities combing community sites for leads to possible crimes, even ones that don't pertain to children and schools. If they can prevent tragedies, then they're doing a good thing.

Although impossible, I just think the media needs to ignore their undying thirst for big news and keep quiet about showing crimes that will likely push others to commit the same crimes.

 

[Ockie]

School shootings would decrease even more if the press didn't publicize them beyond a local broadcast.


It'd be hard to decrease the number of students who are disgruntled enough to bring a gun to school and/or actually use it, but seeing other students on TV with the guts to shoot people is only going to encourage these other students to finally follow through.

Plus there's the possibility of copycats. These students feed off of suffering, both their own and seeing others disrupted, especially because of their actions. It's only going to appear 'cool' to them seeing that they could go to school, start shooting, and be on the news for weeks.

I've no problem with authorities combing community sites for leads to possible crimes, even ones that don't pertain to children and schools. If they can prevent tragedies, then they're doing a good thing.

Although impossible, I just think the media needs to ignore their undying thirst for big news and keep quiet about showing crimes that will likely push others to commit the same crimes.

I didn't think i'd ever agree with you but here I am. I agree to this.

The media is a huge cuase for this... and besides, if the schools can prevent it then why not.

 

[Oldie]

It's pretty sad that parents today won't bother to raise their own children, and want the school to do it for them.

 

[Oldie]

It's pretty sad that parents today won't bother to raise their own children, and want the school to do it for them.

The school should have nothing to do with kids the moment the step off of school property.

 

[Ockie]

The school should have nothing to do with kids the moment the step off of school property.

And what if those said kids where planning a school shooting at home?

 

[Oldie]

^^I'm not saying I don't think they're justified, I just think it's pretty sad that a parent wouldn't know enough about his kids life to pick up on the fact that he's about to commit mass murder.

People complain about all of the personal freedoms that are being taken away from us, but are willing to let the state raise their children 24/7. How can kids learn about free speech, while every word they type on the internet is reviewed by the state? The level of indoctrination being done at our schools today is ridiculous; and bad parents who can't put down their liquor or crackberry long enough to notice are the ones killing our personal freedoms.

 

[GJSNeptune]

The school should have nothing to do with kids the moment the[y] step off of school property.

A valid point, but that would mean all teachers and faculty are unfeeling bastards. Luckily there are teachers out there with enough compassion to talk to these kids with troubled homes, and try to make some kind of positive change. Do we really think parent/teacher conferences are solely to meet and discuss the student's performance? Or are they to get a good interaction with the parents and see if the trouble starts at home?

School is like a full-time job for kids. It's a second home. Their education is as much a part of their upbringing as their parents' effort and responsibility in raising them. Even away from school, their behavior reflects their experiences in school. I'm not saying the school is directly liable for a child off of school grounds. Saying 'school' makes me think of the higher-ups sitting in the district building.

It's less of a legal liability than a reflective judgement if the child does wrong. "Oh, that Miss Fletcher is a horrible teacher and she did nothing to discourage Johnny from acting out against other students."

Or even the teachers failing to give these kids character and life lessons.


I'm probably talking out of my ass. I'm not a teacher. But since I typed all of this out, I'm not hitting Back

 

[Oldie]

^^Well I get your point, but I think examining every students myspace blog extends way to far into an invasion of privacy. Certainly not from a legal perspective, but definitely from an ethical one.

My wife and mother are both teachers and have seen some very disturbing trends, that trample all over the rights of parents who do give a crap. I'm not really condemning the schools for their activities, but the more they do this, the more aggresivley they're going to have to pursue similar actions in the future.

Schools should not be trying to replace parents.

 

[GJSNeptune]

I think examining every students myspace blog extends way to far into an invasion of privacy.

Myspace is public and members are not forced to display any information they don't willingly display themselves.

Schools should not be trying to replace parents.

And what about the deadbeat parents? I'm sure lots of young students are more fond of their teacher(s) than their unloving or always-at-work parents. You can only replace bad parents.

Plus, you have to consider who the student respects more. If they trust their teacher more, they're more likely to listen and emulate them. If their parents are always drunk off their asses with Doritos crumbs around their mouths, the child could use some help from the adults at school.

And I'm sure some teachers have even called childrens services

 

[Ockie]

^^I'm not saying I don't think they're justified, I just think it's pretty sad that a parent wouldn't know enough about his kids life to pick up on the fact that he's about to commit mass murder.

People complain about all of the personal freedoms that are being taken away from us, but are willing to let the state raise their children 24/7. How can kids learn about free speech, while every word they type on the internet is reviewed by the state? The level of indoctrination being done at our schools today is ridiculous; and bad parents who can't put down their liquor or crackberry long enough to notice are the ones killing our personal freedoms.

I think that parents should be held responsible for thier kid's actions, especially if they used thier house or premise to conduct illict activities.

I don't understand how parents don't know thier kids are packing automatic shotguns, AK47's, pistols, and grenades... I mean seriously. I know kids here prefer their privacy, but your privacy is still your parents right.

 

[mrjminer]

You guys must be somewhat out of the loop 'cause this form of bullying is actually a rather huge issue.



More. School shootings have been going down over the past 15 years.

No, I mean from back in the 60's and 70's--BEFORE they started cracking down with "no tolerance" policies on fighting.

 

[hordaktheman]

No, I mean from back in the 60's and 70's--BEFORE they started cracking down with "no tolerance" policies on fighting.

There were plenty of school shootings back then. I can't seem to find the statistics I saw a while back, but school shootings are by no means a new phenomenon.

Either way, I think it's a stretch that 'no tolerance' policies affect school shootings. If anything, it's the oppisite since these policies didn't start being enforced to any degree until the 90s, which is exactly when the downward trend started.

 

[abcdelight]

The schools are geared-up to encourage bullying. A teacher can hardly even do anything substantive to address hostile students. I think the problem is allowed to get out of hand so that when change is called for even more politically correct asnwers can be installed. They will add laws to address bullying - and oh "by the way" the will make it a rule that you can't say anything about lllegal immingrants, homosexuality etc if its not "positive" and hurts anyone feelings. Then when homosexual kids get special rights they will get picked on more and then more "special rights" will be added - at the expense of others rights.

They are already passing such laws in UK:

""No-one wants to see any kind of bullying in schools. But this is not about bullying of pupils who others think are homosexual. It is about punishing schools unless they try to stop pupils using "gay" as a perjorative word."

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/.../Homophobia spies in the classroom/article.do

At some point "they" will want to consider not accepting homosexuality as a "disorder". Heck that star of of Gray Anatomy now says he will go to 'rehab" following use of a homosexual tag.

Schools are just becoming PC concentration camps and parents better wake-up and stop being so easily confused and directed.