Karl Daegling

I have been hit in the gut, face, arms and privates by bullies in school. This is a pretty direct form of aggression and intimidation. As a peaceful, ethical and basically loving individual I was scarred by the hate I felt towards me that I in no way initiated. I always wondered why I was tormented, and then slowly began to realize that people picked on me because I was an easy mark. I was different, clearly not aggressive and a smart kid. I had big lips and talked too much: My parents were both teachers in the school system i attended. I did nothing to initiate abuse. I was friendly and enthusiastic, which some kids saw as a threat, apparently. In today's world, there is a whole new opportunity for those who wish to inflict pain on others...the use of technology to terrorize others.

Cyberbullying is completely foreign to me. I do not give a whit about what people think about me, and if someone posted something about me on the internet or threatened me electronically it would frankly be meaningless. If you are not in front of me about to hit me I simply do not care about your abuse. I understand, however, that people whose primary mode of communication is the internet or cell phones with text features could feel intimidated by remote threats in their inbox or phone. Just as the note stating "Im gonna whale on you as soon as you get off the bus" from my childhood, I understand that abstract threats via modern media achieve the same purpose. To attempt to intimidate or threaten through new technology would constitute cyberbullying.

Free speech is a slippery slope. Legally, what one says does not constitute what one does.
Cyberbullying falls into this category. Just because you threaten via technological means does not constitute a crime. If the threat is carried out physically then it becomes a different matter.
We as educators must understand that it is no different from the threat notes of old, and must act accordingly. Safety is crucial to a good learning environment. We have a unique opportunity to monitor threats presented via the internet because we all have access to the medium. We can see the notes now, and have a responsibility to act on the available information. If a student is being bullied, we can research the information, even if it cell phone based. As educators, we have a responsibility to respond. Even if we cannot locate the source, we need to council our students that cyberbullying is just that... a remote threat that has come from someone that is not courageous enough to step up and make the threat personal.

Solving the problem in the classroom presents an interesting issue. Confrontation of an individual is impossible. "I didn't do it" is not easily disproved, however, creating a blanket rule of conduct may work. Schools may attempt to intervene, but the complexity of the legal issue will cause untold problems that are not worth the trouble. It becomes up to us in the classroom to address the problem. This issue must be dealt with pre-emptively. A policy of zero tolerance regarding negativity should be outlined on the first day of class and a discussion regarding the consequences should be outlined. If a student shows evidence of cyberbullying, the offender should be held accountable via a classroom tribunal. Making an anonymous threat should be treated as an act of terrorism, and given over to the class to research. This proactive approach
may well deter potential bullies from acting out. Reinforcement that cyberbullying is an act of cowardice will help those bullied realize that they have the upper hand. There is nothing worse than being singled out as a chicken. My advice is to turn the tables. Let the students know that if they choose to torment others remotely, they will be humiliated personally. I realize that this is a harsh solution, but I have no time for people whose intent is to hurt others.