CYBERBULLYING: AWARENESS AND SOLUTIONS 1

Cyberbullying: Promoting Awareness and Seeking Solutions

Bret D. Gosselin

Lamar University
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Cyberbullying: Promoting Awareness and Seeking Solutions

Cyberbullying is a growing problem that continues to transform as technology evolves.

This is especially true among our youth as it serves as an extension of the harassment that can

occur when devices are not involved. Cyberbullying can be defined as a situation when “a young

person is repeatedly threatened, harassed, or embarrassed by another person through electronic

technology” (Borel, n.d.). It is a serious issue that has had dire effects on students across our

country. As digital leaders, we must use our position to promote more positive and empathetic

learning environments, both physically and online. By educating ourselves on the legal,

psychological, and emotional implications of cyberbullying, we can begin the work of

developing the kind of school culture that prevents cyberbullying before it can take root.

To be able to adequately address the issue of cyberbullying among adolescents, we must

be knowledgeable about the issue. More than half of all teenagers have both witnessed and

experienced cyberbullying in some form with nearly a quarter having been cyberbullied

repeatedly (Borel, n.d.). What is even more startling is that 95% of the teens who witness this

harassment do nothing about it (Borel, n.d.). The psychological and emotional impact of this

kind of abuse can be devasting for the teens who endure it. Hinduja and Patchin (2009) cite that

“many cyberbullying victims felt angry, frustrated, sad, embarrassed, or scared,” and that these

can lead to “delinquency and interpersonal violence...when these negative emotions aren't dealt

with properly.” The authors also cited numerous instances where cyberbullying left victims in

such a state of desperation that they reacted by taking their own lives (Hinduja & Patchin, 2009).

This has resulted in legislative action where 49 out of 50 states have enacted bullying

prevention laws where nearly all of them reference electronic forms of it (Hinduja & Patchin,

2015). While this is a start, much is left undefined, especially regarding to what extent the
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cyberbullying becomes criminal and how schools should address it. “Most states have balked at

passing new laws to further criminalize cyberbullying and instead opted to direct schools to deal

with the problem” (Hinduja & Patchin, 2015). With the burden of policy-making left in the hands

of the schools, we have an obligation to take action and protect our students. Hinduja and Patchin

recommend that schools get creative in their response to cyberbullying with an emphasis on

educating students rather than jumping hastily to sanctions that can disrupt the school culture

(2009). The goal is to be proactive in preventing cyberbullying by creating an open and

empathetic school culture that fully understands this complex issue.

As digital leaders, we are armed with the specialized knowledge and skills to move these

efforts forward. We, more than anyone, should take a vested interest in promoting a healthy

digital community in the schools we support. Enforcing consequences for offending students will

not be enough to protect the emotional, psychological, and even physical safety of cyberbullying

victims. We must creatively find solutions that connect our learning communities and promote

empathy in all student interactions, both face-to-face and online.

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References

Borel, D. A. (n.d.). Cyberbullying: Just say no [Word document]. Retrieved from Blackboard

Learning Management System.

Hinduja, S., Patchin, J. W. (2009). Bullying beyond the schoolyard: Preventing and responding to

cyberbullying. California: Corwin Press.

Hinduja, S., Patchin, J. W. (2015). Cyberbullying legislation and case law: Implications for

school policy and practice. Retrieved from Blackboard Learning Management System.