CYBERBULLYING: HOW

TECHNOLOGY HAS
CHANGED THE
SCHOOLYARD

A Professional Development for Staff

Awareness

By: Leann Kerr

THE FOLLOWING SLIDES DEPICT

QUOTES FROM NBHS STUDENTS
REGARDING THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF
BULLYING AT OUR SCHOOL IN MY
ENGLISH CLASS WHEN ASKED TO
COMMENT ON AN ARTICLE ABOUT
CYBERBULLYING IN CLASS.

Students Voices

I WENT TO THE PRINCIPAL,

VICE PRINCIPAL, AND EVEN A
FEW TEACHERS. NOBODY
WOULD HELP ME.
-MALE 11TH GRADER

Students Voices

AS A STUDENT AT NORTH BRANCH

HIGH SCHOOL BULLYING IS A
PLAGUE. IT IS LIKE A NASTY
DISEASE THAT INFECTS PEOPLE AND
WEARS A MASK SO ADULTS ARENT
ABLE TO SEE WHAT REALLY GOES ON
MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE.
-FEMALE 11TH GRADER

Students Voices

THE HARSH NAMES PEOPLE CALL YOU IN

THE HALL, PICKING ON YOU BECAUSE OF
YOUR HOBBY, OR EVEN WHAT COLOR YOUR
HAIR IS. MY GENERATION IS IMMENSELY
JUDGMENTAL. AS SOON AS THEY SEE YOU
THEY AUTOMATICALLY PUT YOU INTO A
CATEGORY AND YOURE STUCK THERE.
THERE IS NO WAY OUT.
-FEMALE 11TH GRADER

Students Voices

HE TRIES TO COVER UP HIS

PAIN WITH HUMOR.
-MALE 11TH GRADER

COMPARING TRADITIONAL AND

CYBERBULLYING
Bullying:

Repetitive
Intentional
Ostracizing
Manipulating
Associated with Schools
Maliciousness/Violence
Takes place in a
designated place, often
before or after school
Taunting, teasing
Passing notes (Hinduja
11-12)

Cyberbullying

Takes place anywhere,

anytime, and has a
huge audience
because of technology
All same factors as
bullying
Digital technology is
used to do the
bullying, often not
physical in nature
(Hinduja 17-18).

WHY BOTHER TO BULLY?

Contempt -The
Cause

Disregard for others

Feeling that others are
worthless
Feeling that others are
inferior
Feeling that others do
not deserve respect
Arrogance in action

The Rewards

Elevated status
Applause
Laughter
Approval

(Coloroso 52)

WHAT DOES A STUDENT NEED TO BECOME A CYBERBULLY

OR A VICTIM?

Cyberbullying
Defned

Willful and repeated harm

inflicted through the use of
computers, cell phones, and
other electronic devices
(Hinduja 5).

HAT SETS CYBERBULLYING APART?

WHY THE ATTENTION NOW?

Anonymity or psuedonimity of bully (Hinduja 20).

25% of parents say child involved in cyberbullying

(Norton).

Larger audiences (aka the World Wide Web)

equals greater humiliation (Coloroso 209).

New trend of bullycide-suicide caused by intense

bullying (Gardner 90).

Technology is now a cornerstone of education

Young people go between reality and cyber-reality

so easily, they cant tell the two apart.

THESE ARE THINGS THE KIDS JUST

DO AT HOME, RIGHT?

Students are with technology at all times.

iPods, cell phones, laptops, computer access at

school

Accessibility to technology is at school too.

Even if the bullying is happening outside of

school, the affects can be seen inside its
walls.

H
O
W
D
A
O
Pheobe Prince,14
F
FE ES
Tyler Climenti, 19
David Knight, 17
C CY
T
Ryan Halligan, 13
S BE
C R
Jeff Johnson, 15
H B
Megan Meier, 13
O U
O L
Dawn Marie Wesley, 14
LS LY
Jeffery Weise
? IN

These students were victims of cyberbullying and killed themselves

and/or others as a result. There are countless others whose names are
not public knowledge due to want of privacy.

SCHOOLS RESPONSIBILITY

Keep kids safe

Keep kids coming to school

Recognize warning signs of bullying

Be proactive

Adopt an anti-bulling initiative

Educate staff and students about cyberbullying

Adopt non-punative punishments for bullies

Zero tolerance is a one-size fits all approach to

student discipline

IF YOU THINK THAT YOURE TOO SMALL

TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, TRY SLEEPING IN
A ROOM WITH A MOSQUITO.
-AFRICAN PROVERB