Don't Bully the Bully!

Often educators are forced into the role of cyber-judge and executioner in order to maintain web-safety and classroom order. However, most of us prefer to teach, which is why we became teachers and not sheriffs.

Instead of threatening students, why not provide lessons to encourage proper digital communication and safety? After all, standards-based lessons are already available and they are absolutely free!

Click here to visit CyberSmart! and learn more.

Education Legislation

The newly enacted cost of receiving federal technology funds will be to provide web safety and cyber bullying education for our students.

Although I am generally opposed to most federal education mandates, Act(S 1492) appears a reasonable and necessary measure to protect public school children while online.

To read more, click here.

Bullycide

The inevitable has happened. Tragically, a 13 year-old girl hung herself after being bullied online. The crime was committed on the pages of the social networking site MySpace. Adults and educators nationwide have long feared the consequences of kids interacting in an unsupervised environment.

However, this heinous crime was perpetrated by adults.

I am hopeful the true criminals, the adults who bullied an innocent young teen to the point of taking her own life, are punished to the fullest extent of the law.

I am fearful, that once again, well meaning politicians will rush to regulate digital communications instead of educating parents and children about the very real danger of cyberbullying.

For the full article, click here.