Take a Pledge

Will you pledge to NOT be a bully?

Anti-bullying Pledge (from Bullying.org)

This is for me
my friends today
And my friends tomorrow.
I think being mean stinks!
I won't watch someone get picked on
Because I am a do something person
not a do nothing person.
I care
I can help change things
I can be a leader
In my world there are no bullies allowed.
Bullying is bad
Bullying bites
Bullying bothers me.
I know sticking up for someone is the right thing to do
My name is (your name)
And I won't stand by
I will stand up.

Print out a poster with the anti-bully pledge!

Source: www.cyberbullying.org

Can We Really Stop It?

"The problem is, authorities can never stop bullying in the long run; it is up to the victim herself to do that. Bullying is one of those unfortunate things that simply cannot be dealt with by others."

Megan Meier, at 13, committed suicide after being teased and harassed on myspace by someone posing to be a 14 year old boy. The "boy" was really a 49 year old woman named Lori Drew. There were no laws against what Lori Drew did, and that brings us to consequences.

Though the nation gasped at the thought of Drew receiving no punishment in such behavior, it stands to argue that we cannot punish someone when there is no law against it. California is working on creating a law against online harassment, but it is tricky. How can lawmakers even begin to write a fair law against something the victim can just turn off?
"What does it mean to coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress? Such wording opens a Pandora`s box, because any sharp trial lawyer could claim that anything conveyed through electronic media is somehow intimidating, harassing, coercive, or distressing."
- quotes from op-ed article in The American Thinker

Read the full story

So what are schools to do? Do schools have the right to punish kids for doing something for which adults have no consequences? If they do it at school, then it may break the acceptable use policy for computer use, but if they do electronic harassment outside of school- what then?

What do you think? What's legal? Please share your comments.

Read the story of Megan Meier

School Policies

• What is your school doing about cyberbullying?


• Is it a problem at your school?


• What are the consequences for bullying another student online?

Teachers and Principals: How does the fear of internet abuse affect how often teachers use technology in their instruction?

Every Site is Blocked!

• How many times have you tried to look something up online at school to find that you can't-the site is blocked?


• Why are so many web sites blocked? What's the point?


• Should schools trust kids more or should they keep blocking this much?


• What web sites (or kind of web sites) should NOT be blocked right now?

What Should Parents Do?

Do you have your own cell phone?

Do you text message?

Do you instant message online?

Do you use email?

Do you get online often?


What should parents do to help keep kids safe on the phone/computer?

What should parents teach kids about how to act on the phone/computer?

Have YOUR parents talked to you about cyberbullying?


Check out this web site for parents telling them how to protect their kids from cyberbullying. What do you think?

You've Got Something to Say-Say It to My Phone

No longer are kids bullied, picked on, teased, harassed or alienated on the playground. Today's kids are subjected to all of that (and more) by the expanding technology options available- myspace, facebook, texting, sexting, emailing, websites, blogs, photoshop, youtube, etc.

Share your cyberbullying stories. You may post anonymously (without your name) or you can email me your story to emilyrosegrace@gmail.com

Here's a free crossword about spreading rumors about friends-print it out!