Internet abuse is becoming a multi-level problem: Cyber-bullying of students, YouTube showing violence of students toward each other, RateMyTeachers blasting instructors.
Stop the Show!!
Things are getting out of control with students and the internet. For some reason, students that would not say something negative directly to a person have little hesitation to do so on the internet. Perhaps, it is because it is so impersonal. You don't have to witness the hurt of the other person. However, what is put out on the internet may just be out there forever. The writer may be making statements today that could haunt him at a job interview fifteen years from now.
United Kingdom
Alexandra Smith of Education Guardian writes "The problem of teachers being bullied by mobile phone, email or over the internet is becoming so serious that the Department for Education and Skills will need to ensure that anti-bullying policies which cover cyber-bullying are implemented." Smith states that a new survey revealed that 17% of teachers have experienced cyber-bullying. [Alexandra Smith, EducationGuardian.co.uk, January 19, 2007] What form does the bullying take?
- upsetting emails
- unwelcome text messages
- silent phone calls
- malicious use of websites
- inappropriate use of chat rooms
The bullying does not come from just students. Fellow teachers resort to this form of harassment also. One colleague harassed another teacher aggressively for several months with administration ignoring it as unimportant. The harassed teacher moved on to a different job with nothing being done.
The respondents answers to the survey exposed concerns.
- 53% did not know if their school even had a code of conduct to address cyber-bullying
- 39% said their school did not have a code of conduct addressing this bullying
- 19% said that the policy was not enforced if they did have a policy
- 72% did not know if it was enforced
Smith concludes with a statement from Patrick Nash, the chief executive of the Teacher Support Network. "Teacher Support Network and ATL are particularly concerned that the majority of respondents who had experienced this type of bullying said their schools have not effectively implemented codes of conduct to help address the issue."
Canada
CTVglobemedia Publishing writes that 19 Catholic High School students were suspended for five or eight days after targeting the school principal. [James Rusk, TheGlobeandMail.com, February 16, 2007] The school is located northwest of Toronto. The students made sexually explicit remarks about the principal and included pictures of Osama bin Laden and Adolf Hitler. This is the first time the school has had problems with students harassing staff in this manner. Facebook.com is a networking site that had several postings about the principal. Other staff members have shown up on RateMyTeachers.com in less than good light.
An attorney for the students claims that the punishment was too harsh and could end up hurting the students chances getting into a university. A member of the school board states that if students had been harassing each other in this manner, they would have received a 20-day suspension. It is also distressing that one of the students posting the comments was a student-council member and another the student president.
New York
YouTube is the source of recent violence. Students meet after school or even in school and tape violent episodes against students. That evening they put it up on YouTube for all to see thinking it is quite funny to humiliate another human being.
Police are also looking for postings on YouTube, MySpace, and Photobucket. Illegal activity is being monitored with arrests made from information found on the videos. Girls are photographing each other being silly in their underwear at slumber parties and pictures are appearing on porn sites. Parents are horrified to learn that their daughter is now on a porn site indefinitely.
It's Forever
A fifteen year old doesn't realize that in just two years, she or he will be applying to college for admission and scholarships. These pictures are likely to be out there forever. Character is very important in the admission and scholarship process. And, there are thousands of predators looking for new targets. The teenage brain may not be developed but the repercussions can be great from an impulsive act.
Related articles: Student Computer Injuries, Long-Term Effects of Bullying
Read previous articles on Educational Issues.
Copyright article 2007 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.
