Journal 8 - "Point/Counterpoint: Should Schools Be Held Responsible for Cyberbullying?"

Bogacz, R, & Gordillo, MG. (2011). Should schools be held responsible for cyber bullying. Learning & Leading with Technology, 38(6),

This article discussed the question, should schools be held responsible for cyber bullying. We read and argument in favor of the school being responsible as well as an argument for the school not being responsible. Renee Bogacz felt that the schools should be responsible for cyber bullying because it greatly affects the school environment and that all educational participants have to deal with the issue. On the other hand we read how Miguel Gomez Gordillo felt about the issue. His foundation against the schools being responsible for cyber bullying was behavioral issues, which do not begin in the classroom. There were also reader pole responses where 30% said that schools should be responsible and 70% said no, that schools should not be responsible.

Q1:When should internet safety be taught in the classroom?

A1:I think that internet safety and etiquette should be taught at an early age. Students are being exposed to the cyber world at younger and younger ages and the earlier you teach them the proper way to use it the better. It’s not different than teaching a child to look both ways before crossing the street.

Q2: Should schools be involved in cyber bullying issues that do not happen in the school?

A2: I feel that the school should be involved in cyber bullying cases when it involves other students. It is no different than when the school gets involved when something happens between two students going too and from school.