Cyberbullying: How to Make It Stop

1. Cyberbullying:How to Make It Stop Newark Public Schools DRAFT

2. Research Says… 25% of kids have been bullied online more than once2 21% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mail or other messages2 58% have not told their parents about an online bullying incident3 40% of Middle & High School students have been bullied online at least once in the last year1 1National Crime Prevention Council, 2007 2 ScholasticAdministrator.com, Fall 2010 3Sameer Hindija & Justin W. Patchin, Cyberbullying Research Center, CyberbullyNCIS, 2010 DRAFT

3. What is Cyberbullying? • Willfully causing hurt or harm verbally, emotionally or psychologically to another person (bullying, harassment or intimidation) that happens online • May involve threatening or violent words and/or images • Use ‘Cybertools’ DRAFT

4. Cyberbullying vs. Other Bullying • Creates illusion of anonymity • Bully can’t see victim • Victim doesn’t know who to trust • Use of high speed technology quickly disseminates harmful messages to large numbers • Difficult to identify a cyberbully • Victims who encounter face-to-face bullying can retaliate anonymously • Different imbalance of ‘power’ – the “less powerful” can now bully • Occurs 24/7 • Has exposure to greater number of sexual predators • Can be more emotionally damaging DRAFT

5. Similar Impact on Victim DRAFT

6. What Parents Can Do • Stay informed as technology continues to evolve • Local School • Public Library • News media • Keep computer in ‘public’ part of house so computer activities can be monitored easily • Monitor cell phone and gaming console use • Talk with your child about bullying and cyberbullyingand cybertool “netiquette” • Focus on being kind and respectful • Use Internet Service Provider or software that restricts access and filters web sites • Watch for behavioral signs from your child when they’re on the computer, e.g. minimizing the screen when you walk into the room • Impose appropriate consequences, e.g. loss of use of computer or cell phone DRAFT

7. What Schools Must Do • Develop, distribute and annually update bullying and cyberbullying policies, procedures and rules • Train parents, staff and students to understand and recognize bullying and cyberbullying • Train parents, staff and students regarding the law, policies, procedures and consequences • Educate students to understand that the Internet is not anonymous • Provide confidential means for students to report bullying and cyberbullying • Encourage students to report known incidents of bullying and cyberbullying, whether they are bystanders or victims DRAFT

8. NJ Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Highlights (Harassment, Intimidation & Bullying – HIB) • Effective September 1, 2011 • Includes HIB that takes place Off school grounds – covers cyberbullying • District to appoint District Anti-Bullying Coordinator • HIB investigation conducted by principal-appointed School Anti-Bullying Specialist • Must be a building-based School Safety Team (administrator, anti-bullying specialist, teacher, and parent at a minimum) • Policy/procedures apply to a single incident or series of incidences • Annual ‘Week of Respect’ starting the 1st Monday of October DRAFT

9. Glossary of Terms • Cyberbullying - using the communication capabilities of computers, the Internet, and/or other digital/communication devices to include but not limited to: e-mail messages, instant messaging, text messaging, cellular telephone communications, internet blogs, internet chat rooms, internet postings, and defamatory websites to bully others DRAFT

10. Glossary of Terms • Cyberharassment – pertains to non-credible threatening or harassing e-mail messages, instant messages, or blog entries or websites dedicated solely to • Cyberstalking – use of Internet, e-mail, or other electronic communications to stalk, and generally refers to a pattern of threatening or malicious behaviors. DRAFT

11. Glossary of Terms • "Harassment, intimidation or bullying" means any gesture, any written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communication, whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents, that is reasonably perceived as being motivated either by any actual or perceived characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical or sensory disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristic, that takes place on school property, at any school-sponsored function, on a school bus, or off school grounds as provided for in section 16 of P.L.2010, c.122 (C.18A:37-15.3), that substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students and that: • a. a reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, will have the effect of physically or emotionally harming a student or damaging the student's property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to his person or damage to his property; • b. has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students; or • c. creates a hostile educational environment for the student by interfering with a student's education or by severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the student. • Per N.J.S.A. 18A:37-14, N.J.S.A. 18A:37-15(b)(2) and N.J.S.A. 18A:37-15.3 DRAFT

12. Resources • Cyberbullying Research Center - http://www.cyberbullying.us • Education Northwest - http://educationnorthwest.org • Federal Trade Commission – http://ftc.gov • Fight Crime: Invest in Kids - http://www.fightcrime.org/ • Garden State Equality - http://www.gardenstateequality.org/ • National Center for School Engagement – http://www.schoolengagement.org/ • New Jersey (NJ) Association of School Administrators - http://www.njasa.com • NJ Association of School Resource Officers - http://www.njasro.org • NJ Association of School Psychologists - http://www.njasp.org • NJ Association of School Social Workers - http://www.njassw.org • NJ Coalition for Bullying Awareness and Prevention - http://www.njbullying.org • NJ Department of Education, Keeping Our Kids, Safe, Healthy and in School -http://www.state.nj.us/education/students/safety/ http://www.state.nj.us/education/students/safety/behavior/hib/ • NJ Department of Law and Public Safety, Division on Civil Rights -http://www.nj.gov/oag/dcr/index.html • NJ Education Association - http://www.njea.org DRAFT

13. Resources • NJ Parent-Teacher Association - http://www.njpta.org • NJ School Counselors Association - http://www.njsca.org • NJ State Police - http://www.njsp.org/ • Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays -http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=194&srcid=-2 • Stop Bullying.Gov - http://www.bullyinginfo.org • US Department of Education, Institute of Educational Sciences, National Center for Educational Statistics - http://nces.ed.gov/ • US Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools -http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osdfs/index.html?src=oc • US Department of Justice, Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section -http://www.cybercrime.gov • US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Gang Center -http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov • Web Wise Kids - http://www.webwisekids.org • Wired Kids - http: //www.wiredkids.org • WiredSafety - http://www.wiredsafety.org DRAFT