I
chose this article because I feel that CNN is a trusted news site and, although
it is sad and scary, this article addresses the truths of cyber bullying. In
this article, several personal accounts of cyber bullying are given. Cyber
bulling is an issue that can deeply affect boys and girls of all types of
backgrounds. I like that this article does not “sugar coat” the issue of cyber
bulling. I think that this is a troubling issue because it primarily takes
places behind closed doors and in students’ homes.
Honestly
and unfortunately, I am not surprised that 25% of students have at some point
been bullied online. Even if bullies are not going so far as to create an
entire website or Facebook page to belittle someone, I am sure that
intentionally hurtful comments are said. I think that sometimes it is easier to
say things online that we would not normally say in person. There are lots of
opportunities for hurtful comments to be said with the high usage of social
media.
The
article closes by mentioning some solutions that have been thought of to
address cyber bulling. One of the suggestions that I believe would be helpful
is having a ”bully button” that would alert someone of bullying when it is
pressed. Although cyber bullying may not be directly related to schools, I do
feel that schools have some responsibility to address this issue. While things
may transpire at home, these issues will often come to light on school
property. Schools could help to educate parents on ways to prevent their kids
from being bullied online. Limited time and access to the internet and having
the computer or tablet in an open area are two ways to address this.
Although
it is not directly related to cyber bullying, I watched a documentary called
Bully a couple of years ago that really illustrated the dynamics of bullying to
me. This documentary allows you to see bullying from an outsiders perspective.
It was enlightening to witness the bullying but also the roles that the school
and students’ families played in this issue. I highly recommend this
documentary although it is very hard to watch. The video that included at the
beginning of this blog is a trailer for the documentary.
I'm glad you posted the trailer for that documentary! It seems like a really inspiring film! Although in my blog post I mainly focused on how parents can prevent cyberbullying in the home, I agree with you that schools have a responsibility in the matter. Even though we might not witness cyberbullying first-hand, I think teachers can have a huge impact in motivating kids to resist and speak out against bullying.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that it is easier to say things online that we would not normally say in person because the bully doesn't have to face the person they want to hurt. They can say whatever want without any ramifications. I also think that it would be helpful to have a ”bully button” that would alert someone of bullying when it is pressed. Children need to be monitored at school in home. We must all come together to help stop this.
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