Viatouch Teacher Articles
Psychology

The New "Bully"
by Geary L. Smith

"Give me your lunch money!"

I can still remember those dreadful, horrible demands from bullies at school. Having a mother who was a school teacher and a father who was an administrator, I was raised to avoid fighting at school and to be respectful to others. As a result, I was threatened, taunted, and teased by bullies. That was almost thirty years ago, when typical bullies were big kids who targeted the smaller ones. Today, kids are being bullied by the use of technology and through e-mail, cell phones, and text messaging. It is called cyberbullying and it is as frightening as facing a real bully at school. Xanga Safety, a website that helps parents in their efforts to keep their families safe online, reports that:

     · 90% of middle grade students have had their feeling hurt online.
     · 75% have visited a web site bashing other students.
     · 40% have had their password(s) stolen and changed by a bully, who then locked them out
               of their own accounts or sent e-mails posing as them.

What makes cyberbullying so prevalent and unassuming is the anonymity that the Internet provides, along with endless available contacts. Fortunately, the legal and educational systems have begun to identify and address the problems that result when people use technology to hurt, make threats, and bully each other.

Here are some tips to help to keep your child safe:

Xanga Safety and www.wiredsafety.org are two websites that offer information, education, and help services on the issues of cyberabuse. As others have discovered, you may find that your newest challenge is keeping your children safe online.

Geary is an associate pastor and a motivational speaker and currently works as an administrator at the Mexia State School. He has been writing for children, teens, and young adults for about 20 years. His publication credits include Highlights for Children, Child Life, McGraw-Hill, and ECS Learning Systems. Geary is married to Tonnette, and has two daughters, Jessica and Somer.

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