Bullies are like a computer virus; their only intent is to inflict harm. Cyberbullying takes bullying into the digital realm. Due to the unregulated nature of the Internet any "normal person" can become a "total dickwad." I've never been the target of cyberbullies (real life ones are a different matter) and never been a perpetrator of it.
Our schools are in a tough position. Cyberbullying can technically take place out side of the school walls and school hours. Yet the effects can reach inside the classroom environment. It is more difficult for adults to detect than normal rumor spreading especially if it was a private communication. Detecting it requires implimenting what I consider good management practices: know your students so you can detect changes in interactions, know the current whispers in the rumor mill, and have conversations with your students to know what is happening in their lives.
In a perfect world it is the parents responsibility to know what their children are doing online. This is not a perfect world and innocent lives can be lost in defense of ideologies. It is something schools and teachers should talk about with students. It can be reduced by creating digital community in the school with adult presence. This is probably the most preemptive, ideal solution that I hope to implement at the school I work at. Yet teachers can not be everywhere online, or administrators read through all student emails and instant messaging.
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