Legal Padlet by Judith Ozuna https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j Cyberbullying: What Administrators Should Know en-us 2019-07-16 03:28:08 UTC 2023-07-28 10:28:21 UTC hello@padlet.com Slide #13 Best Practices for Compliance jozuna7 https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260781
  • Provide training in cyberbullying prevention to teachers and students
  • Educate students on digital citizenship
  • Take every report of cyberbullying seriously (lives are at stake)
  • Investigate within 20 calendar days
  • Call parents of both the bully and the bullied
  • Document, document, document
  • Students can be disciplined at school for posts made at home if the posts disrupt the learning environment
  • Have supports in place to help the bully and the bullied beyond the investigation
    • ]]>     2019-07-16 03:30:31 UTC https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260781     Slide #12 Non-Law Source Stopbullying.gov jozuna7 https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260826 This section of the website Stopbullying.gov (2017) is tailored to give school principals research-based practices to help prevent all types of bullying. It also enlightens administrators on challenges that may arise when addressing cyberbullying in schools. Most importantly, the website guides principals in finding opportunities to make a difference and promote a safer learning environment for students (Stopbullying, 2017).
     
    Stopbullying.gov. (2017). Understanding the roles of administrators in community-wide bullying prevention efforts. Retrieved from Understanding the roles of school administrators in community-wide bullying prevention efforts. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.stopbullying.gov/sites/default/files/2017-09/hrsa_guide_school-administrators_508.pdf]]>     2019-07-16 03:30:51 UTC https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260826     Slide #11 Ethical Principle jozuna7 https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260836 Standard 1.7 The educator will shall comply with state regulations, written local school board policies, and other state and federal laws.
    19 Tex. Admin. Code § 247.2 (2018)

    This principle connects with cyberbullying because administrators must comply with the written rules and regulations in order to help prevent cyberbullying and keep students safe. David's law and local policy give guidelines for the administrator to follow. In the end, the purpose is not to merely be compliant but to do what is best to protect students and to help prevent cyberbullying.


    ]]>     2019-07-16 03:30:59 UTC https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260836     Slide #10 Local Policy jozuna7 https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260888 The local policy requires suspicions, claims, and notices of cyberbullying to be made to the principal who is to write a report and investigate (Early I.S.D., 2017). The local policy states the principal has the responsibility to notify parents and issue corrective action based on the results of the investigation which is to be completed within 20 calendar days.  Corrective action may include:
    • counseling options
    • an educational training program
    • expelling
    • placing in DAEP
    • reporting to law enforcement for prosecution (Early I.S.D., 2017)

    Early I.S.D. (2017). Early ISD Board Policy Manual. Retrieved from Early ISD website:https://pol.tasb.org/Policy/Download/239?filename=FFI(LOCAL).pdf
    ]]>     2019-07-16 03:31:25 UTC https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260888     Slide #9 Harassment Statute jozuna7 https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260903 Tex. Penal Code § 42.07 - Statutory Law

    Texas Penal Code section 42.07 is a Texas statutory law that was amended in 2017 by Senate Bill 179, David’s law, making cyberbullying a Class B misdemeanor punished by up to 180 days in jail and a maximum $2,000 fine. Cyberbullying will be a Class A misdemeanor if has the intent to encourage suicide or if it is in violation of a restraining order.
     
    https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.42.htm#42.07
     
    ]]>     2019-07-16 03:31:33 UTC https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260903     Slide #8 Bullying Prevention Policies and Procedures jozuna7 https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260920 Tex. Educ. Code § 37.0832 - Statutory Law

    Texas Education Code section 37.0832 is a Texas statutory law that was amended in 2017 by Senate Bill 179, David’s law. The code defines bullying and cyberbullying, requires schools to adopt policies and procedures to impede bullying, gives students an opportunity to anonymously inform administration about bullying, and requires parents of both victim (within three days) and bully (reasonable time) to be notified.
     
     https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.37.htm#37.0832
    ]]>     2019-07-16 03:31:39 UTC https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260920     Slide #7 Kowalski v. Berkeley County Schools jozuna7 https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260933 Kowalski v. Berkeley County Schools, 652 F. 3d 565 (4th Cir. 2011)- Judicial Law

    Kowalski v. Berkeley County Schools(2011) is a judicial law that helped establish how school administrators can discipline students for their online speech even if it is not done at school. The case identified that if the student’s speech disruptions at school, the school has the right to reprimand. The court rejected the free speech claim of the student who created an online page where she humiliated a student and invited others to do the same. The school suspended her for five days and issued her a 90-day “social suspension” which kept her from cheerleading. The court ruled in favor of the school district (Kowalski v. Berkeley County Schools, 2011).
    https://1-next-westlaw-com.easydb.angelo.edu/Document/Id7fa1f32b87611e086cdc006bc7eafe7/View/FullText.html?navigationPath=Search%2Fv1%2Fresults%2Fnavigation%2Fi0ad62aee0000016be89020fb94fbd43c%3FNav%3DCASE%26fragmentIdentifier%3DId7fa1f32b87611e086cdc006bc7eafe7%26parentRank%3D0%26startIndex%3D1%26contextData%3D%2528sc.Search%2529%26transitionType%3DSearchItem&listSource=Search&listPageSource=f3c67e7c3525538c01be13a5e3bb7866&list=CASE&rank=1&sessionScopeId=e1b801f10a51d7a027eed3a7bf7713b81ed1722d18a99244be0f557f34156144&originationContext=Search%20Result&transitionType=SearchItem&contextData=%28sc.Search%29
    ]]>     2019-07-16 03:31:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260933     Slide #6 JS v. Bethlehem Area School Dist. jozuna7 https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260955 JS v. Bethlehem Area School Dist., 757 A. 2d 412 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2000) - Judicial Law

    JS v. Bethlehem Area School Dist. (2000) is a judicial law that helped establish that even though a student was not on school property when he/she posted something online, the student could still be reprimanded by the school for the content if the content disrupted the school environment. In this case, a student created a website where he bashed the principal and a teacher and even mentioned a “hitman”. The school board voted to expel him, and his attorneys claimed the school violated his constitutional rights. The court ruled in favor of the school district (JS v. Bethlehem Area School Dist., 2000).

    https://1-next-westlaw-com.easydb.angelo.edu/Document/I104407ab32ba11d98b61a35269fc5f88/View/FullText.html?transitionType=UniqueDocItem&contextData=(sc.Search)&userEnteredCitation=757+A.+2d+412+(Pa.+2002)]]>     2019-07-16 03:31:51 UTC https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260955     Slide #5 Current Article jozuna7 https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260963 This article outlines a lawsuit filed against a school district claiming negligence on the part of the administrators for failure to prevent the abuse that led a 12-year-old girl to take her life (Rosenblatt, 2017). The parents claim their daughter had been enduring cyberbullying for months, and the school ignored their pleas and their daughter's emotional health (Rosenblatt, 2017). 

    This article highlights why administrators need to be vigilant and have proper policies in place to address cyberbullying. Students' lives are at stake, and the school could be found negligent.

    Rosenblatt, K. (2017). Cyberbullying tragedy: New Jersey family to sue after 12-year-old daughter's suicide. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-jersey-family-sue-school-district-after-12-year-old-n788506]]>     2019-07-16 03:31:57 UTC https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260963     Slide #4 Current Article jozuna7 https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260970 This article discusses steps schools should take to establish policies in order to effectively address cyberbullying. The article suggests
    • providing digital citizenship lessons to adequately inform students
    • involving the entire school to collaboratively write the policy
    • including strategies that encourages positive behavior not just consequences for negative behavior (Riddell, 2018)
    With the psychological damage cyberbullying can cause students, administrators need to lead their schools in establishing good policies to address the issue.

    Riddell, R. (2018). Cyberbullying policies imperative for schools in increasingly digital environment. Retrieved from https://www.educationdive.com/news/cyberbullying-policies-imperative-for-schools-in-increasingly-digital-envir/523804/

    ]]>     2019-07-16 03:32:02 UTC https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260970     Slide #3 National Education Association's (NEA) position on cyberbullying jozuna7 https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260978 The NEA considers cyberbullying to be an educational, health, and social issue that is stripping students of their opportunity to learn and be safe in schools (NEA, 2012). The NEA (2012) also believes that administrators need to be trained and in turn provide trainings to teachers on prevention policies to better equip them to deal with cyberbullying appropriately. "NEA is encouraged by research that shows one caring adult can make all the difference to a bullied student if that adult listens to the student, asks the right questions, then takes decisive action" (NEA, 2012, p. 3). The NEA also provides resources to help administrators with anti-bullying. 


    National Education Association. (2012). Bullying prevention in public schools. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/Bullying-PreventioninPublicSchools-PolicyBrief.pdf]]>     2019-07-16 03:32:07 UTC https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260978     Slide #2 Interview jozuna7 https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260991 I talked with Robin Graves, the current Administrative Services Program Director at Region 15 Service Center in San Angelo.  Before joining the Region Center, Robin was a High School Principal for five years. As program director she mentors new administrators so we discussed how she guides new principals in dealing with cyberbullying.

    Why is knowledge of cyberbullying important to administrators?
    Mrs. Graves explained that knowledge of cyberbullying is important because one role of the principle is to provide a safe environment for students, and unfortunately, cyberbullying threatens students's safety and can have longterm effects. Cyberbullying has many components and layers to it that cannot always be physically seen at school . It also can be extremely public and reach a vast audience online which can escalate the harm it causes. Principals need to be familiar with the school's policies to take proper action (R. Graves, personal communication, July 17, 2019).
    Best Practices for Cyberbullying
    1. Be Proactive by establishing a positive school culture
    2. Train teachers and students on the policies and rules in place and how to take action if cyberbullying is observed or suspected
    3. Enforce the rules established in the policies, respond consistently and appropriately, and support students involved with proper help

    What is an emerging issue related to cyberbullying that administrators should watch to see how it plays out?
    An emerging issue related to cyberbullying that affects administrators is whether the school can be held liable if a student commits suicide due to cyberbullying. Principals need to take every report of cyberbullying seriously, investigate, and follow the policies while being through in documentation to protect themselves.]]>     2019-07-16 03:32:13 UTC https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260991     Slide #1 Professional Perspective jozuna7 https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260999 My professional career has been as a teacher for the last 20 years, but my new role will be as principal of Early High School. As a teacher, one would occasionally overhear students discussing cyberbullying incidents, however, never dealt with this issue from the perspective of an administrator. This Legal Guide Padlet is a resource guide for new administrators in order to help them understand the legal requirements associated with cyberbullying. I chose this topic because a role of an administrator is to provide a safe learning environment for students, and cyberbullying presents a real threat to students in a society where social media is prevalent. It is crucial to be current in the lawful obligations in order to protect students and to reduce the risk of legal liabilities for the district and oneself.]]> 2019-07-16 03:32:18 UTC https://padlet.com/jozuna7/z36rcy152m9j/wish/371260999