Anitra Palmer

Alli Hubert
June 30, 2015
ET 680
Issue Paper
The world changes as technology changes. Technology has improved the world in many
different ways. The television allowed people to view parts of the world that they would never be
able to travel to. The computer allowed people to adequately store and keep information in a far
superior way than in the past. The internet allowed people to connect with others that lived on
the other side of the country or even the other side of the world easily. However, with new
improvements, come new problems as well. One of the problems we face as a society is
cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that occurs over the internet on social media
sites and applications such as Facebook or Twitter. On these sites and applications, a student also
known as the bully, would put up an embarrassing picture or story, post negative comments, or
exclude another student also known as the victim. These actions can transfer into the real world
and cause social damage. The actions by the bully could humiliate and embarrass the victim
causing the victim emotional and psychological harm. Cyberbullying is a huge problem that
technology leaders need to address. Without addressing this issue, more students could become
victims causing their social and emotional personas to suffer.
All students should have access to technology. However, with access to technology, more
students will encounter cyberbullying. While worrying about how students dont have access to
technology is important, technology leaders should concern themselves with the ones who do
have the technology now. Those are the students that may be experiencing cyberbullying at this
moment. Students need to be aware of cyberbullying and what it looks like prior to having access

to technology so that it can stop before the technology is even put into their hands. This is why
cyberbullying is more important than equitable access.
Acceptable use is the policy that directs how staff and students should use the technology
provided by the school system. It is required by the federal government that provides technology
and internet access to all schools. While this policy is very important, it does not address
cyberbullying in the document. Cyberbullying should be included in a document that states
expected student and staff behavior. However, because it is not a major part of this document,
technology leaders should address cyberbullying directly as well as when teachable moments
occur.
Cyberbullying and social media often go hand in hand. Social media websites are the
places where cyberbullying occurs. While it is good to know all the wonderful things that social
media websites offer, students and staff also need to know examples of cyberbullying that occur
on them. If students and staff are not aware of the types of cyberbullying that could be seen on
these sites, the amount of cyberbullying victims and bullies will increase creating more
emotional and psychological damage to students. More importantly, students need to know the
consequences of cyberbullying behaviors. Knowing what will happen if cyberbullying occurs
can be used as a preventative for cyberbullying behaviors. This is why cyberbullying needs to be
addressed before social media.
Policy
Every school, staff, and group of students should know the meaning, actions, and
consequences of cyberbullying. To address these parts, states, districts, and schools should create
policies that are clear and concise about cyberbullying. It should be easy for all to understand to
prevent this issue from growing. Students should not fear posting or commenting on their or

other students social media accounts because they think that they will be cyberbullied. In order
to diminish this fear, policies should be created on the school, staff, and student level. These
students should be easy for all parties to understand. Each policy should include a definition of
cyberbullying, expectations of student or staff behavior to prevent cyberbullying, consequences
of cyberbullying, and what to do if a student or staff member experiences or is a witness to
cyberbullying. The following examples are samples of school, staff, and student policies that
could be used to address cyberbullying.

Sample School Policy (Adapted from Virginia Model Policy on Cyberbullying)

Cyberbullying is the intentional humiliation, harming, and/or threat of another student or group
of students through the use of technologies such as laptops, tablets, and/or smartphones. Using
stated technologies, the user posts or replies using defaming, humiliating, exclusionary, or
threatening words or messages on an internet social media website, email and/or messaging
application. These behaviors can occur on or off of school premises at any time of day.

Students will:
1. Use school district provided technologies responsibly and/or for educational purposes. If any
form of cyberbullying behaviors stated above occurs on a school district provided technology,
the school shall enact disciplinary procedures.
2. Use personal technologies on school property or during school events responsibly and/or for
educational purposes. If any form of cyberbullying behaviors stated above occurs on a personal
technology, the school shall enact disciplinary procedures.
3. Maintain a school climate that is conducive to learning. If any form of cyberbullying behaviors
stated above occurs that the threatens the positivity of the school climate, the school shall find
the student or group of students causing the disruption and enact disciplinary procedures.

Staff will:
1. Review the school and student cyberbullying policies prior to integrating both school provided
and personal technologies in the classroom.
2. Monitor social media websites and applications that will be used for educational purposes for
cyberbullying behaviors.
3. Report any student or group of students who do not adhere to the cyberbullying student
expectations to administration with proof of the alleged behavior immediately.
Consequences:
Students: Students who do not adhere to the school cyberbullying policy will lose the privilege to
use school and/or personal technologies on school property or at school events. Violating the
above student expectations will result in disciplinary actions and could result in judicial action.
Staff: Staff who do not adhere to the teacher expectations in regards to cyberbullying will receive
a reprimand by administration.
Reporting:
Students and staff are required to report any instances of cyberbullying or violations of
expectations they have witnessed. The reporting can be anonymous. Once a report has been
made, school authorities will investigate and find any proof that pertains to the report. Based on
that proof, school authorities will determine next steps.

Sample Staff Policy

Cyberbullying is the intentional humiliation, harming, and/or threat of another student or group
of students through the use of technologies such as laptops, tablets, and/or smartphones. Using
stated technologies, the user posts or replies using defaming, humiliating, exclusionary, or
threatening words or messages on an internet social media website, email, or messaging
application. These behaviors can occur on or off of school premises at any time of day. As school

staff, it is imperative to know and understand what cyberbullying looks like, what you can do to
prevent it, and what to do if a student reports a cyberbullying incident to you.

School administration will:

1. Review school, staff, and student cyberbullying policies with staff at least three times during the
school year.
2. Investigate all cyberbullying incidents presented by staff and/or students within three days of the
report.
3. Contact parents as necessary when a cyberbullying incident has occurred.
4. Alert and inform superiors, authorities, and necessary staff when a cyberbullying incident has
occurred and is being investigated.
Staff will:
1. Review school and student cyberbullying policies with students prior to integrating technologies
into lessons and three times throughout the school year thereafter.
2. Monitor all social media and messaging websites and applications that the staff member uses
with students in their classes for cyberbullying behaviors.
3. Report any students or groups of students who are violating the student expectations to
administration with proof of the violation immediately.
4. Listen and report any student report of a violation of the student expectations to administration
immediately.
Consequences:
Staff who do not adhere to the teacher expectations in regards to cyberbullying will receive a
reprimand by administration.
Reporting:
Staff are required to report any violation of student expectations in regards to cyberbullying
immediately as well as provide at least one piece of proof of violation. Staff administration will
investigate within three days of the given report. Administration will contact necessary adults

including staff and parents/guardians in regards to a cyberbullying incident. After an

investigation has been made, next steps will be discussed with all parties involved. Authorities
may be notified dependent on the severity of the incident.

Sample Student Policy (Adapted from Windemere Ranch Middle School)

Cyberbullying is the use of electronic information and communication devices to willfully and
repeatedly harm either a person or group of people through the use of electronic text messages,
photos, or videos. Cyberbullying consists of using social networking sites such as facebook,
twitter, instagram, snapchat, etc., chat rooms, discussion groups, instant messaging, text
messaging, computers, cell phones, personal digital devices, digital cameras, cell phone cameras,
and webcams. As a new technology forms, it will be included with these types of electronic
forms of communication.

Sending cruel messages, creating websites that have stories, cartoons, pictures, and jokes making
fun of others, sending vicious or embarrassing materials to others through email, engaging
someone in electronic communication, tricking a person into revealing sensitive personal
information and forwarding that information to others, and posting a student picture without their
permission will not be tolerated.

Students will:
1. Review and acknowledge the cyberbullying policy at the beginning of each school year and
continue to review it throughout the year.
2. Use these forms of communication for only educational purposes while being on school property
or attending a school-related function.
3. Report any cyberbullying actions that are witnessed.

Consequences:
Any violation of these regulations can result in suspension, expulsion, loss privilege of using any
of the forms of communication while being on school property, phone call to a parent, or any
other action determined by the school administrators.
Reporting:
Students are to save any form of evidence of a student being cyberbullied. Students should
identify the cyberbully and show the evidence to a teacher, guidance counselor, or any school
administrator. Then, these professionals will follow the correct procedure on how to handle the
cyberbullying incident. If the cyberbullying needs immediate attention and occurs outside of the
school hours, students should contact the police.

Rationale
Cyberbullying is now a huge part of our society today. With this issue continuing to
increase, our school needs to have policies put in place so that there is a clear understanding of
the expectations with regards to cyberbullying. I understand that cyberbullying is part of the
curriculum so that students are aware of what it is, but this is just not enough. Even though
students are being taught about cyberbullying, it is still happening and many children are getting
away with doing it. Sometimes I will be watching the news or reading an article where there
would be some sort of incident with regards to cyberbullying such as a story where there was a
suicidal event that occurred. Cyberbullying is a lot more dangerous than what a lot of people
think of it to be but it is having a huge impact on children who have access to the internet, social
media websites, text messaging, and so on. This consists of people of all ages. Something must
be done to stop this and we need to teach our students what to do during these incidents. As

being an elementary school, it is very important that we are teaching students about
cyberbullying now before it is too late in the future.
To help end cyberbully, I have created a policy for our school, teachers, and students to
follow. These policies are similar to an acceptable use policy but it goes more in-depth with
regards to cyberbullying. All of the policies require the person who witnessed the cyberbullying
activity to report it. It shouldnt just be ignored considering this is a nation wide issue. Although
this is a recent occurrence since adults have not lived through this type of bullying, it is tough
trying to approach it and solve this problem. All staff and schools need to have some sort of
training with what to do in these type of situations. There also needs to be some sort of procedure
that has to be followed in order to stop the cyberbullying. This is similar to these professionals
needing to report child abuse. It is just something that needs to be done. With these policies, a
signed document acknowledging these agreements is vital.
With regards to the students, they need to be aware of what is appropriate and what is not.
In this student policy, it thoroughly explains what is not tolerated when using an electronic form
of communication. It also discusses the consequences students will face if they violate any of the
rules. These expectations are clear so students are aware of what will happen if they do not
follow. Just like a typical school rule such as not keeping hands to self, there is some sort of
punishment to justify this decision.
It is also very important for the students and teachers to report any activity in which he or
she sees that shows any type of bullying. The students need to help with this especially since
they are the ones who are doing it and are more likely to be friends with each other on these
social media websites so they can help monitor what is going on exactly. Also, it is critical for
these policies to be reviewed throughout the school year. By resolving this issue, it would

definitely help our school. We dont want this issue to get out of hand and we need to do
something to help prevent it from turning into a bigger problem.

References
Virginia Department of Education Division of Technology and Career Education Information
Brief. (2008). Retrieved June 28, 2015, from
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/support/technology/info_briefs/cyberbullying.pdf
District CyberBullying Policy. (2014). Retrieved from
http://www.wrms.srvusd.k12.ca.us/cyberbullying