Counselor’s Corner
by CHARLOTTE WINKELMANN
Hays CISD is a no-tolerance zone for any type of bullying. The many forms of bullying affect one-third of our children today. Bullying is the repeated actions or threats of action directed toward a person by one or more people who have or are perceived to have more power or status than their target in order to cause fear, distress or harm. Bullying includes name-calling, obscene gesturing, malicious teasing, rumors, slander, social exclusion, damaging someone’s belongings, threats, social networking bullying and physical violence. Any type of bullying at school should be reported to the school immediately.
Cyberbullying
In addition to face-to-face bullying, cyberbullying has become another means for some youth to bully and harass others. Cyberbullying is the persistent and intentional use of electronic communication to harass, threaten, intimidate or otherwise mistreat, typically among youth. Approximately 20% of young people reported experiencing cyberbullying in their lifetimes. There are some specific things you can do at home about the prevention of cyberbullying.
School counselors are a resource on your campus to assist in the prevention of bullying and cyberbullying.
Prevention:
• Talk to your child about responsible online behavior.
• Monitor the amount of time your child spends online and provide guidance for online surfing.
• Set up the computer in a common area where you can supervise your child’s Internet use.
• Purchase tracking software to block inappropriate web content and check your child’s online activities.
• Encourage your child to tell a parent or trusted adult about threatening or harassing messages.
• Discuss and provide opportunities to practice strategies for responding to cyberbullying.
• Exemplify safe use of the Internet.
• Encourage your child’s personal responsibility in respectful Internet use.
• If your child has a cell phone, give the number only to trusted adults or friends.
Intervention:
• Don’t reply to cyberbullying and save the evidence.
• Block offending e-mail addresses and cell phone numbers, or change your child’s phone number and e-mail address.
• Try to identify the perpetrator and contact the parents if feasible.
• Report incidents and file complaints with communication services providers and websites where the cyberbullying is occurring.
• Report any potential criminal behavior related to cyberbullying to law enforcement.
• Get legal advice.
• Notify your child’s school of the problem if your child attends the same school as the bully.
Parents are invited to a parent/adult workshop in cyberbullying sponsored by the ADL and Hays CISD.
“Youth and Cyberbullying: What Families Don’t Know Will Hurt Them” is a 1.5-2-hour training for adult family members. Participants will increase their understanding and awareness about the problem of cyberbullying; increase their ability to effectively discuss and respond to their children’s/teen’s experiences with cyberbullying; gain the tools/skills needed to educate their children/teens in responding to cyberbullying and in being allies to others.
Dates and times for the workshops are Jan. 27 at Simon M.S. from 6:30-8:30 p.m. or March 1 at Carpenter Hill from 7-9 p.m.
The workshop is free. Subject matter may not be appropriate for young children.
To find out more information, please go to this website: http://www.adl.org/education/cyberbullying/tips.asp
