CYBERBULLYING

New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly A. Ayotte
Internet Crimes Unit
Cyberbullying Background Paper
With Attached Policy Letter and Letter to Parents
February 2008
I. Purpose of this School Policy
Bullies have always existed, but under the current technologically oriented society
we live in today, cyberbullying is becoming more prevalent, and schools are dealing with
cyberbullying on a large scale now. Emotional harm from cyberbullying may be greater
than in-person bullying because the harm can be ongoing through the day and night. Any
material posted can be widely disseminated and difficult or impossible to remove. The
bully may be one anonymous person, or he or she may involve others in the bullying. If
it happens, teens are reticent to tell adults about online concerns, but the problem is that
they may not know how to stop cyberbullying themselves.
When students are emotionally harmed as a result of cyberbullying, they may
present a danger to themselves and others, and this potentially could disrupt the school’s
goals of teaching children and keeping them safe. School Boards in the State of New
Hampshire are obligated to create safe environments for learning, and if cyberbullying is
reported, it is incumbent upon the school to act promptly and proportionately to the
problem.
This policy is designed to educate on the issues of what cyberbullying is and the
problems it creates; to give guidance to schools on ways to prevent it in the first instance;
how to identify when discipline is appropriate; and how to discipline within the
constraints of the law.
Schools may want to implement this policy by updating their current policy on
Pupil Safety and Violence Prevention.
II. Definition1
“Cyberbullying” is being cruel to others by sending or posting harmful material or
engaging in other forms of social cruelty by using the Internet or other digital
technologies.
Cyberbullying can include:
1 Willard, N (2007) Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats: Responding to the Challenge of Online Social
Aggression, Threats, and Distress. Research Press.
• Flaming – online “fights” using electronic messages.
• Harassment – repeatedly sending offensive messages.
• Denigration – sending or posting material about a person to damage his or her
reputation or friendships.
• Impersonation – posing as a person and posting material to make the person look
bad, get in trouble, or danger, or damage that person’s reputation or friendships.
• Outing and trickery – sharing someone’s’ secrets or embarrassing information or
images online or tricking someone into revealing such information and then
sharing.
• Exclusion – intentionally excluding someone from an online group.
• Cyberstalking – repeatedly sending threatening and intimidating messages or
engaging in other online activities that make a person afraid for his or her safety.
III. Statistics
• 42% of kids have been bullied while online. 1 in 4 have had it happen more than
once.
• 35% of kids have been threatened online. Nearly 1 in 5 have had it happen more
than once.
• 21% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mail or other messages.
• 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More
than 4 out of 10 say it has happened more than once.
• 53% of kids admit having said something mean or hurtful to another person
online. More than 1 in 3 have done it more than once.
• 58% have not told their parents or an adult about something mean or hurtful that
happened to them online.2
IV. Case Studies
In 2007, the Wall Street Journal reported a story about an eighth grade girl who
was bullied by her peers through a website called “Kill Kylie Incorporated,” which
featured crude insults under the heading “She’s queer because… .” The bullying was so
traumatizing that Kylie was forced to change schools and reported she still had
“emotional damage” from the experience two years later in tenth grade.3
In 2006, in Missouri, 13-year-old Megan thought she had made a new friend in
cyberspace when a cute teenage boy named Josh contacted her on MySpace and began
exchanging messages with her. Megan, who suffered from depression and attention
deficit disorder, corresponded with Josh for more than a month before he abruptly ended
their friendship, telling her he had heard she was cruel. Other postings included ones that
said “Megan is fat” and “Megan is a slut.” The next day Megan committed suicide by
2 I-SAFE. Cyber Bullying: Statistics and Tips. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
(http://www.isafe.org/channels/sub.php?ch=op&sub_id=media_cyber_bullying)
3 Wall Street Journal. Schools Act to Short-Circuit Spread of 'Cyberbullying'. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
(http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB116960763498685883-
00i2mUIBGJbaC1Yf2saT_MY8Vc8_20070222.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top)
hanging herself. Her family learned later that Josh never actually existed; he was created
by members of a neighborhood family that included a former friend of Megan's.4
Unfortunately, such cases are becoming commonplace in and out of schools,
where anonymity and simplicity of the Internet creates a convenient venue for malicious
attacks on students and teachers alike.
V. Legal analysis
The First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, however,
that right is not unfettered. Student speech may be suppressed under certain
circumstances. What may be suppressed depends if the speech occurs on school grounds
with school equipment, or if the speech occurs off school grounds.
Schools clearly have the right to impose educationally based restrictions on free
speech when the speech occurs on campus or with school equipment.5 Because of the
“special characteristics of the school environment” the U.S. Supreme Court recognizes
that school officials may prohibit student speech when it would “substantially interfere
with the work of the school or impinge on the rights of other students.”6 This means that
school districts may apply educationally based restrictions on any student speech that
occurs through the school district’s Internet system and computers.7
Although the U.S. Supreme Court has not explicitly held that schools may also
apply formal discipline for off-campus speech,8 many lower courts have.9 The test used
for off-campus speech appears to be the same as on-campus speech, and any discipline
must be because the speech would substantially interfere with the work of the school or
impinge on the rights of others.
4 Fox News.com. Mom: MySpace Hoax Led to Daughter’s Suicide. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
(http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,312018,00.html)
5 Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School Dist., 393 U.S. 503 (1969).
6 Respondent’s brief filed by the ACLU in Morse v. Frederick, 127 S.Ct. 2618 (2007) at p. 10, citing
Tinker, at 509. Retrieved February 6, 2008
(http://www.aclu.org/pdfs/scotus/morse_frederick_respondentsbrief.pdf) (Morse holds that school
administrators may prohibit off-campus speech at a school-approved activity when the speech promotes
illegal drug use).
7 Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, 484 U.S. 260 (1988) (school can regulate contents of school
newspaper that is used as a supervised learning experience for journalism students and not open to
indiscriminate use).
8 See Morse v. Frederick, above.
9 See J.S. ex rel. H.S. v. Bethlehem Area School District, 757 A.2d 412 (2000) (school could discipline
student for creating a web site on home computer that threatened school officials because); Donovon v.
Ritchie, (68 F.3d 14 (1st Cir. 1995) (school could discipline student who, while off campus, created a list of
students with derogatory comments, and the list ended up on the campus); Fenton v. Stear, 423 F.Supp. 767
(W.D.Pa. 1976) (not disciplining student who called a teacher lewd name while off campus could lead to
“devastating consequences in the school”); But see Beussink By and Through Beussink v. Woodland R-IV
Sch. Dist., 30 F.Supp.2d 1175 (E.D.Mo. 1998) (school cannot discipline student for creating web site at
home that is critical of the school if discipline is simply because principal is upset by content but the site
does not cause any fear of disruption).
VI. Questions School Administrators Should Ask Themselves Before Discipline:
• What exactly is the speech?
• How did you find out about the speech?
• Is it directed to or about another student or a school official?
• Is the speech lewd or defamatory?
• Is it hateful or mean?
• Does it discuss or portray violence?
• Does it appear intended to humiliate or insult another?
• Is the speech repeated more than once?
• Does the speech encourage others to get involved in the hate/violence?
• Has the speech disrupted the classroom or any aspect of the school?
• Do you think that it is likely that the speech will disrupt the school?
• Has anyone told you that the speech has affected them?
• Even if no one has said so, do you think it is likely that the person about whom
the speech is directed would be affected adversely by the speech?
• Would anyone be adversely affected by the speech, even if it is not directed
specifically at them?
• Is the speech simply critical of the school or its teachers?
• Who created the speech?
• How do you know who it created it?
• Where did the speech occur?
• If it occurred off-campus, has anyone seen the speech while on-campus?
• Have you saved copies of the speech? (i.e. print out the website)
• Can you first informally discipline the student?
• If you decide to formally discipline, what is your school policy regarding
discipline?
• Before disciplining student, can you pass the Tinker test and articulate how the
speech would cause a substantial interference at the school?
• Or can you articulate how it impinges on the rights of others?
• Is the proposed discipline proportionate to the threat of interference?
Attachments:
A. Proposed Policy Letter for Schools
B. Proposed Letter to Parents from Schools
ATTACHMENT A
PROPOSED POLICY LETTER FOR SCHOOLS
This District is committed to providing a positive and productive learning and
working environment. Any form of harassment using electronic devices, commonly
known as “cyberbullying,” by students, staff or third parties is prohibited and will not be
tolerated in the district. Cyberbullying is the use of any electronic communication device
to convey a message in any form (text, image, audio, or video) that defames, intimidates,
harasses or is otherwise intended to harm, insult or humiliate another in a deliberate,
repeated or hostile and unwanted manner. In addition, any communication of this form
which disrupts or prevents a safe and positive educational or working environment may
also be considered cyberbullying. Students and staff will refrain from using personal
communication devices or district property to harass or stalk another.
The district will take any report of cyberbullying seriously and will investigate
reports promptly. Students are encouraged to report an incident immediately to a teacher
or principal, who will take appropriate action. Students who make a report should also
preserve evidence of the cyberbullying. For example a student may save or bring a copy
of an email, text message, picture or other electronic transmission that the student
believes was intended to harm, insult, or humiliate.
Students whose behavior is found to be in violation of this policy will be subject
to loss of privileges, discipline, up to and including expulsion. Staff whose behavior is
found to be in violation of this policy will be subject to discipline, up to and including
dismissal. Third parties whose behavior is found to be in violation of this policy shall be
subject to appropriate sanctions as determined and imposed by the superintendent or
Board. Any perceived criminal conduct will be reported immediately to local law
enforcement.
ATTACHMENT B
PROPOSED LETTER TO PARENTS
DATE
SCHOOL BOARD
LOCAL SCHOOL
RE: Cyberbullying
Dear Parent or Guardian:
As you may already know, there are many Internet sites and chat rooms (i.e.
MySpace, Facebook, Xanga, MSMSpaces) which have become a popular social
networking destination for millions of children nationwide. Unfortunately, according to
law enforcement records, they are also popular with sexual predators, cyber bullies, and
con artists.
Everything posted on most of these sites can be seen by anyone with Internet
access. Often these sites have privacy features which allow a teen to limit access only to
people they know, however, these privacy features are not foolproof. When unsuspecting
students post personal information, they become easy targets for predators – people who
can use this information to identify, locate, and contact them.
Cyberbullying is also an increasing issue. Cyber bullies – generally ages 9 – 15,
often use the instant-messaging feature of these sites to chat or post hurtful or threatening
messages online. Such bullying can be very damaging to children.
We encourage you to be aware of these chat rooms and search for your children
by name, e-mail address, etc. If they’re registered users, you can visit their accounts, just
like anyone else (for example conduct a Google search using your child’s name and
screen name). You can also just ask your children if they are using these sites and go
online with them, explaining the types of things that they should or should not post.
Everyone knows that often we e-mail in haste, and that taking a minute to cool down or
think before hitting “send” is always a good idea. Below are some questions you can
cover with your children, explaining that they should ask themselves these questions
before posting something:10
• “Is this kind and respectful to others?”
• “How would I feel if someone did or said the same thing to me, or to my best
friend?”
• What would my mom, dad, or other trusted adult think or do?”
10 Willard, N (2007) Cyber-Safe Kids, Cyber-Savvy Teens: Helping Young People Learn to Use the
Internet Safely and Responsibly. Jossey-Bass.
• “Would I violate any agreements, rules, or laws?”
• “How would I feel if my actions were reported on the front page of a
newspaper?”
• “What would happen if everybody did this?”
• “Would it be okay if I did this in Real Life?”
• “How would this reflect on me?”
• “Does it just feel ‘wrong’ to do this? If so, I should not do it.”
There are other things that you, as the parent, can do to help keep you child safe
while online. These include:
• Keep computers with web access in public parts of the house, such as the living
room.
• Set Internet rules and guidelines and post the rules near the computer or have a
contract with your child about the use of the computer.
• Decide whether your children may use MySpace.com or similar socialnetworking
sites.
• Know your child’s screen name and what they have listed on their profile.
• Let your children know that you will be reviewing their account for appropriate
content and appropriate sites and then periodically review your children’s Internet
(history) accounts.
• Talk with your children – calmly. While online communication is a common part
of preteen and teen social life, many children are unaware of its dangers.
To learn more about Internet safety, visit the Attorney General’s Internet Crimes
Unit website at www.connectwithyourkids.org., or call the Internet Crimes Prosecutor,
Lucy H. Carrillo, at 603-271-3673. Other sites with helpful information on Internet
safety and cyberbullying are www.isafe.org; www.benetsafe.org; www.wiredsafety.org;
http://cyber-safe-kids.com, and http://staysafeonline.org.
Sincerely,
NAME
PRINCIPAL OF LOCAL SCHOOL
NAME
LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
Lyonel B. Tracy
Commissioner, Department of Education
Kelly A. Ayotte
New Hampshire Attorney General