How California’s Cyberbullying Laws Can Inspire Educational Policies Worldwide

Abu Dhabi Polytechnic, a scientific institution with a focus on technology, engineering and mathematics, can learn a lot from California’s cyberbullying law. This article will discuss both legislation in this field and how the principles contained within such laws can be incorporated into schools’ policy-making. Social media is the future – and, as teachers, principals and parents must make an effort to safeguard youth from its negative impacts, educational institutions can learn a lesson or two from California’s approach.

California has been a pioneer when it comes to creating laws to protect minors from the dangers of technology. In fact, on January 1st, 2015, The California Student Safety and Violence Prevention Act of 2004 was amended. California legislators approved a bill requiring all schools to implement cyberbullying policies and procedures in order to mitigate the number of social media-caused incidents. The main provisions of the law are as follows: One of the most significant changes brought about by the adoption of California law on cyberbullying is the requirement for faculty and staff training in this area. Staff become the primary persons responsible to preventing cyberbullying incidents on and off campus, ensuring that personnel have a high level of awareness and know the relevant policies and procedures to implement if they should witness or hear of a potential breach. Having clear, easily accessible policy guidelines is also key to the success of this type of measure. Policies should be available provides and communicated to all students, parents and staff and should be directly referenced in handbooks and student diaries.

While implementing a cyberbullying plan is a starting point, educational institutions still have some work to do. Students should be educated on cyberbullying and should even be provided with some training to help prevent any types of incidents from taking place. Parents also need to be made aware of the issues, so that they can respond appropriately when their child is victimized. They can also take measures to help avoid school related cyberbullying, further protecting their loved ones from harm.

One of the main goals of California’s anti-cyberbullying law is to prevent incidents before they happen. For example, the Lawrence Livermore Valley High School District uses their local TV station to inform parents of the expectations on students when it comes to the actions/communications they partake in outside of school grounds. The station also airs educational videos that highlight some of the more psychological effects of bullying in order to get parents on the same page when it comes to the issue.

Having a committee member or two in charge of cyberbullying policies can help improve the effectiveness of the guidelines. Committee members should be responsible for the implementation and execution of the guideline, as well as the ongoing review and updates of the policy, as required. Having committee members responsible for these measures can also help provide greater peace of mind to parents, students, and faculty members knowing that a designated person is in charge of the program and its success.

Technology can play another important role when it comes to cyberbullying – and that is through monitoring. While some schools do set up monitoring systems to keep an eye on the actions of students using school computers, professors and other faculty can also use technology to keep on top of any issues that might arise when on campus. For example, common social media apps like Facebook, Twitter and others allow users to report and block individuals who indulge in cyberbullying.

Above all else, students should be taught about the dangers of cyberbullying and how to prevent it from happening. In fact, parents can even get involved by teaching their children about remaining safe when using social media and technology in general. Educational institutions, especially those that have an emphasis on technology, should be strong proponents against cyberbullying, and they should create an environment that promotes healthy and appropriate use of technology tools when positive online interaction will encourage students to think twice before posting something negative toward a peer.

Considering that bullying does not only happen in California, but in other parts of the world, educational institutions can benefit by working together. While it is great to have local laws to deter students from cyberbullying, if the schools abroad don’t have the same or even similar guidelines and policies, students may still be tempted to take their negative and harmful action for one school to the other. The solution? Create an international system that connects schools to create global awareness of the issue and develops a standardized policy.

In conclusion, educational institutions can learn several lessons from California’s approach to cyberbullying. By learning what to look for, how to put policies in place and how to educate students as well as parents, schools like Abu Dhabi Polytechnic can promote healthy online activity, deterring cyberbullying. More importantly, institute laws that are sensible and effective, preparing students for a new age of technology.

For more information on cyberbullying prevention strategies, you can visit StopBullying.gov.