Internet Bullying: Blogging
After reading the assigned pages from Blogging by David Hudson, I am honestly not that shocked. Internet bullying has been a widespread problem for quite some time. You always hear people say, “Kids are cruel”. Well, why do we let them be cruel? Parents do need to have a better understanding of what sites their kids’ are visiting and what they are posting online for the world to see.
I agree in letting school officials have some jurisdiction over the things students post online. For example, Hudson addresses the fact that in 2002 the Pennsylvania Supreme Court made the rule, if the material from the Web site is aimed towards another student or others associated with the school, that the officials do have jurisdiction to punish the student accused. So, “…even if a student blogs from off campus, if the blog is intended to reach fellow students, it gives school officials jurisdiction to regulate the harmful effects of such expression” (Hudson 76). I think this is a great thing; kids need to realize there are real life and serious legal consequences for the hateful things they put online. If there were never any consequences for these kids’, can you imagine what it would be like in 10 years? There would be a higher suicide rate and depression among teens nationwide. If the parents’ of the students’ were more involved in what their kids were doing online, there would hopefully be less cyber-bullying. However, some kids’ will go behind their parent’s back and do it anyway, or their parents’ are not as involved in their lives. For some students, the only discipline they get is from school officials. This is why I think school officials should have jurisdiction over blogs and material online that is about another student or a school official.
Kids need to be taught the extreme harmful effects cyber-bullying can cause. There are teenagers killing themselves over what a fellow student posted about them. Some say, letting school officials have jurisdiction over student’s web site postings that are created off campus, infringes on their first amendment right for freedom of speech, and that the state should respect the student’s rights, well, it goes both ways, students are not respecting their obligation to the state.
Statics state that “around half of teens have been victims of cyber-bullying” (Bullying Statistics 2009). Only 1 in 10 of these students will actually tell their parents about what is happening. “Over 80 percent of teens use a cell phone regularly, making it the most popular form of technology and a common medium for cyber bullying” (Bullying Statistics 2009). Parents, not only need to be aware of what their children are doing online, but also be aware of what they are doing on their cell phones. If you really want to know what a teenager is up to, check their cell phone. Not only for things being posted on websites, but also what texts they are sending and receiving. Now that texting is the most popular way teenagers communicate to one another, bullying can be done through texting just as easily as over the internet.
Texting and cyber-bullying is as easy as ever these days. With cell phones having internet access and the mass amounts of texts teenagers send out daily, bullying is at their fingertips. They need to be taught the dangers from bullying others and the consequences they will face for doing it. Teenagers also need to know they can talk to an adult if they are the ones being bullied, and that it is not their fault. If parents take control of this issue maybe the statics will change for the better. Let’s hope.
Works Cited
Hudson, David. Blogging. New York: Chelsea House: c2008. Univ of Oklahoma Libraries’.
Access date: February 2, 2011 from,
http://site.ebrary.com.ezproxy.lib.ou.edu/lib/sooner/docDetail.action?docID=10284452
Bullying Statistics. (2009). Stop Bullying, Harassment, and Violence. Date of access: February
Nessa, you make some very persuasive points. Your argument has allowed me to see the cyber bullying issue from a different perspective. In my blog entry, I argue that schools should not discipline students for cyber bullying, but that punishment should be left up to the parents to decide on for their kids. In your blog, you make an extremely valid point that “For some students, the only discipline they get is from school officials.” Your point highlights the fact that many children are not lucky enough to have parents that care enough to teach them right from wrong by disciplining them for wrong doings. Your point has allowed me to see that the issue is a complex one that cannot be resolved simply. I still believe that each student should be protected by the First Amendment, a right to expression. However, I think schools should be allowed to step in and mediate a situation if they become aware of a student intentionally trying to hurt another. I also think that schools have a real responsibility to teach sensitivity to their students. I watched an episode of the MTV show that you recommended “If You Really Knew Me.” The episode documented how one school in Michigan was doing just that. They were teaching sensitivity to their students and being proactive about the bullying issues that our kids face today. Bravo to that school for their initiative and bravo to you for writing a good blog! Thanks for opening my eyes to the larger issue.
ReplyDeleteI applaud the maturity of your stance on this topic. I have met many teens and young adults who believe that what they write in a blog is no one else’s business. It always surprises me when they respond that way because after all they are blogging on a public site for everyone to read. Whether they are writing out of anger, to humor a certain audience or to receive attention, I believe that by blogging they want others to be actively involved in the discussion.
ReplyDeleteYour specific argument seems to deal more with your disapproval of cyber bullying. I agree with you and your statistical research proves that a huge percentage of children and teens are being bullied. I was in Sherman, Texas a few weeks ago and while watching the news I heard a report about a nine year old boy that committed suicide as a result of being bullied. In this instance the parents were blaming the school because the school was aware bullying was taking place, but they didn’t address the problem. I wonder why that school didn’t take action against the children that were bullying. Was it feared that they would create bigger problems by addressing the issues? After reading some of the court cases that Hudson wrote about, I can understand where a school might be reluctant to take a stance on such topics.
Cyber bullying is definitely a huge issue and I believe that many states and schools are stepping up and taking action against bullying. I also agree with you that school officials should be able to punish students for cyber bullying; however, I don’t feel like this should be a responsibility put on school administration. School administrations have enough responsibilities without having to take extra time to monitor the blogging of their students. Parents should be monitoring what their children are posting online and once a child becomes an adult and enters college; one would hope that they would be mature enough to make respectful blogs.
Overall, I think you have valid points that support your stance on this subject. I would be interested to know more about your stance on if school officials should be allowed to regulate off-campus blogging as a whole. For example, if a student blogs about an incident that occurs at school from a non-bias standpoint, but merely for reporting purposes; should school officials be allowed to regulate those kinds of blogs?