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My professional perspective is as a current special education teacher with the goal of becoming a high school guidance counselor.  I earned my M. Ed in reading education and will have my M. Ed in School Guidance & Counseling in August of 2019.  I prepared this guide for parents, students, and educators as a guide for understanding what cyberbullying is, what the current laws are, and what to do if you know someone is being bullied or is doing the bullying.  One reason I chose this topic is because of the horrific incidents in the news of students who actually commit suicide as a result of cyberbullying.  That is such a waste of a young life full of potential. Another reason is that I have seen firsthand with my middle and high school students how cyberbullying deeply affects kids.  The social world is their life and when that world backfires then nothing else matters.  I think with awareness and knowledge we can help to lessen the incidences of cyberbullying or at least intervene in the early stages before someone is scarred beyond repair, or worse.

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The School Superintendent Association provides  a definition of cyberbullying along with recommendations for school districts,  educators, and parents. They also provide a wealth of resources.
AASA The School Superintendent Association (2019). Cyberbullying.  Retrieved from https://www.aasa.org/content.aspx?id=11652

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#4 Article:  It's time to develop an anti-cyberbullying policy: here's how

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#4 Article:  It's time to develop an anti-cyberbullying policy: here's how

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*Schools today must have an anti-cyberbullying policy
*It is more effective if the entire school community is involved
*Students should be involved in the making of the policy
*Focus on the positive aspects of using technology and social media, not just the negative.

Beckmann, K. (2018). It's time to develop an anti-cyberbullying policy:  Here's how.  eSchool News.  Retrieved from https://www.eschoolnews.com/2018/05/17/its-time-to-develop-an-anti-cyberbullying-policy-heres-how/?all

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#5 Article: Nine Things You Need to Know About Texas' New Cyberbullying Law

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#5 Article: Nine Things You Need to Know About Texas' New Cyberbullying Law

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*New law referred to as "David's Law" was effective September 1, 2017. Named after David Molak, a student in San Antonio, Texas who committed suicide after enduring ongoing cyberbullying.
*Schools must have cyberbullying policies in place
*Parents must be notified within three business days if their child has been a victim of cyberbullying
*The law covers acts that happen on school campuses and off campus school related events
*The law also covers acts that occur away from school if educational opportunity is at risk or serious disruption of the school environment results.
*Cyberbullying is now a Class B misdemeanor

Varghesey, B. (2017).  Nine things you need to know about Texas' new cyberbullying law.  Jurist Legal News and Research.  Retrieved from https://www.jurist.org/commentary/2017/08/benson-varghese-cyberbully-texas/

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Texas Education Code defines cyberbullying as "bullying that is done through the use of any electronic communication device, including through the use of a cellular or other type of telephone, a computer, a camera, electronic mail, instant messaging, text messaging, a social media application, an Internet website, or any other Internet-based communication tool" (Tex. Educ. Code § 37.0832(a)(2)).
This law defines bullying and cyberbullying and determines the extent to which schools can intervene in acts committed both on campus and off campus.  The full law can be found at https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.37.htm#37.0832

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I interviewed April Saint, Ed. D, who is a certified school guidance counselor and is currently working toward becoming a licensed professional counselor.
1.  Importance of Topic: April expressed the importance of parents and educators to understand cyberbullying in order to know how to prevent it or at least quickly intervene when it happens.  She identified two platforms in particular that parents may not realize are being used for cyberbullying and those are Snapchat and YOLO.  Students are able to use these platforms and remain anonymous if they choose to.  Another reason parents and educators need to be aware of how students utilize the technology is because now there are ways to cover up what they do.  For example, what looks like a basic calculator app could actually be a back door to one of these platforms.
2. Best Practices:  (1) Begin educating students at an early age, as early as kindergarten, so they won't get involved in cyberbullying due to peer pressure later on.  (2) Treat every student as though they have experienced trauma.  April states that bullying is really a way to express the results of some type of trauma. She recommends implementing "Trauma Informed Education." (3) Help teens find a sense of purpose in order to steer their expressive behaviors toward the positive.
3. Emerging Issue: April made me aware of a popular trend known as Trauma Informed Education (TIE). The bases of TIE is to assume that every child has experienced some form of trauma because according to her research, we live in a trauma induced society. It is almost impossible to grow up in our current society without experiencing trauma on some level. She indicated that TIE zeroes in on two important key words: Empower and Validate. We have to empower our students in order to build their values and self-esteem and we must validate their feelings and beliefs as we guide them through development.

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Texas Association of School Boards upholds a general policy regarding harassment which includes cyberbullying.  The policy protects against harassment that would interfere with educational opportunities or success of a student.
Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) (2018).  Retrieved from https://www.tasb.org/services/legal-services/tasb-school-law-esource/students/documents/cyberbullying.aspx

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The ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors item A.1 (a) states that school counselors "Have a primary obligation to the students, who are to be treated with dignity and respect as unique individuals" (ASCA, 2016, p. 1). "Unique  individuals" is the key in this statement, as it is so often that what makes a student unique is also the reason he or she is bullied. As a counselor it is my ethical obligation to identify students in need of support as well as cultivate a school climate of dignity and respect.
American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Ethics/EthicalStandards2016.pdf

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Harmony Public Schools has a policy on bullying that states student rights of "freedom from bullying and cyberbullying" (Harmony Student Handbook, 2018, p. 28).  Pages 28 and 29 of the handbook outline what constitutes bullying and cyberbullying and the reporting procedures.  Harmony also clearly states the legal right of anyone to report anonymously.
Harmony Student Handbook (2018).
The handbook link can be found at https://www.harmonytx.org/parents.php and is available in both Spanish and English.

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Changes were made to the Texas Education Code by Senate Bill 179 to include cyberbullying.  It covers any conduct that causes physical harm, damage to property,  emotional harm, interferes with educational opportunity or the school environment, or interferes with the student's rights.
Tex. Educ. Code § 37.0832 (a)(1)
https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.37.htm#37.0832

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In the early days of cyberbullying cases,  first amendment rights of free speech were often questioned.  If cyberbullying is simply words, as opposed to physical harm, isn't that free speech?  In the 2012 case of Bell v. Itawamba County School Board, the federal appeals court ruled that in fact a student's right to free speech was  not violated when the student was disciplined for the cyberbullying of two coaches in Mississippi.

Bell v. Itawamba Cnty. Sch. Bd., 859 F.Supp.2d 834 (N.D.Miss.2012)

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*Teach children about cyberbullying from a young age.  If they learn early on about being bullied via technology and what to do about it, we can prevent possible tragic outcomes.
*Parents--please educate yourselves on current technology that your child may be using. Place limits and blocks if needed.
*Educators--must also be aware of trends in student use of technology
*Students--understand your rights and what to do if you or someone else is being bullied via social media or other technology.
*Remember that the law states that students have the right to report cyberbullying anonymously.
*Schools--cultivate a school climate of empowerment and validation for students. If possible work toward implementing a "Trauma in Education" approach to student well-being.

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"Bullying and Cyberbullying: What Every Educator Needs to Know" by Elizabeth Kandel Englander is a book based on the author's and other's research about bullying, cyberbullying, and peer cruelty.  The title indicates this as a guide for educators, but the content is essential for parents and anyone who works with or cares about young people.  The book can be ordered from Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Bullying-Cyberbullying-Every-Educator-Needs/dp/1612505996/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=cyberbullying&qid=1563505540&s=gateway&sr=8-2