Kansas vs. Cyberbullying
This lengthy piece in the Topeka Capital Journal outlines anti-bullying policies throughout Kansas. Each school district must develop a bullying prevention plan to comply with the state’s anti-bullying legislation, which was passed in January and was revised in July to include cyberbullying.
We are always thrilled when an important body (like school districts throughout a state) goes proactive on cyberbullying. This issue needs to be curtailed. Kids need to learn to play nice. Yes, there will always be bullying, but there is a severe difference between name calling and campaigns to destroy the life of a peer (which happens more and more).
If parents used computer monitoring software like our PC Pandora to keep an eye on their kids, they’d be able to help limit and stop cyberbullying. But sadly, the responsibility rests within the hands of the bully’s parents. And since they aren’t doing anything, now schools/states have to get involved. So bravo to the schools for stepping up.
I didn’t paste the full article here because it is very long… but if you are from Kansas, click this link to find out what the new policy is in your area: Anti-bullying plans and policies for area schools
January 8th, 2009 at 5:02 PM
Thanks for catching this article. Sorry I’m late getting to the discussion.
I’m glad some states and individual school districts are making laws to protect children from bullies and bullying. Here, we need new laws because so many administrators are cowards. They’re afraid they’ll be sued by parents who want to protect their little terrorists. Therefore, we need to required administrators to act and also to protect them from suits when they do act.
The amount of bullying allowed in a school is completely dependent on the administration and teachers. And I’m from Denver and know Columbine High School very well.
There’s a recent case in Barcelona, Spain where a court held the school and the administrators responsible and liable for actions on their premises [http://www.barcelonareporter.com/index.php?/news/comments/school_ordered_to_pay_30000_euros_in_damages_in_bullying_case/]. When children are in their care, adults must be responsible. Two years is a long time to allow a gang of terrorists to rule. Obviously, the same lesson is relevant to our adult society.
On an individual basis, parents must teach children how to face the real world in which they’ll meet bullies all their lives, even if the children are small and outnumbered. That’s independent of the type of bullying – cyberbullies, physical bullying or verbal harassment or abuse. Your software sounds like it will help with cyberbullying.
Sometimes, a child can handle a bully by himself, beginning with peaceful tactics and moving step-wise toward being more firm and eventually fighting to win. Or, depending on the situation, just get the fight over with the first time. Other times, adult help is needed.
As I show in my books of case studies, “How to Stop Bullies in their Tracks and “Parenting Bully-Proof Kids,” bullies are not all the same, but their patterns of behavior, their tactics, are the same. That’s why we can find ways to stop most of them.
Most children will naturally bully the weak or different. They must be taught, primarily by parents, if they’re going to learn to be more civilized. In addition to professional experience, I learned practical, pragmatic methods growing up in New York City and then watching our six children and their friends and enemies.
True bullies will take empathy, kindness and tolerance as weakness. They’ll think we’re easy prey. It will encourage them, like sharks, to attack us more. Bullies will show you how far you need to go to stop them. Get out of your comfort zone and stop them.
When children learn how to stop bullies in their tracks, they will develop strength of character, determination, resilience and skill. They’ll need these qualities to succeed in the real-world.
Please examine my website and blog (http://www.BulliesBeGone.com).
Best wishes,
Ben
January 8th, 2009 at 6:06 PM
Ben,
What an incredible post. Thank you for visiting the blog. I am adding you to my Blogroll now. I pretty much agree with everything you said and feel the need to add: it is a sad state of affairs when we have to make laws to take care of bullies. One of the first things parents need to teach their kids is how to act towards others. Clearly parents aren’t doing this today and – to make matters worse – if anyone else tries to teach them (since the parents aren’t; i.e. the schools), the parents cry and sue. It’s ridiculous. No wonder we have a bunch of kids that don’t know their behinds from their elbows and think they are infallible. Sad.
Everyone else: please visit Ben’s site and read his books!