‘A GAME CHANGER’
New law gives Texas educators power to tackle cyberbullying on or off campus
The tech-savvy children of today tote devices in their pockets and backpacks that hold the powerful possibility to improve or destroy someone’s life. Many of those children also don’t have the maturity to comprehend the consequences of their actions on social media platforms and choose to step over the line of civility into the world of cyberbullying.
Until Sept. 1, educators in Texas were unable to address instances of social media abuse that occurred off campus, even though it affected both social and instruction activities on campus. When Senate Bill 179, also known as David’s Law, went into effect last month, it gave school administrators the ability to take action to address cyberbullying that happens both on and off campus. Districts can also take legal steps against parents whose children bully someone on the internet.
Texarkana Independent School District Superintendent Paul Norton said David’s Law is a game changer in how they are able to address the issue.
“We have now the backing of the police department and the law to be able to do things. Honestly, that was a frustration, because if things were happening on the weekends in the cyberbullying world, by law we couldn’t touch it,” he said. “It was impacting classroom instruction. Now we can impact it and we have the law behind us. Parents can be held accountable.”
Parents can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor if their child under the age of 18 bullies someone to the point of suicide, which was the case for 16-year old David Molak of San Antonio, who
killed himself after he was threatened, humiliated and harassed online. An Eagle Scout, David died Jan. 4, 2016. Texas Senators Jose Menendez and Judith Zaffirini proposed legislation in recognition of the young man’s suffering and tragic death. Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed SB 179 into law in June.
Norton said the law puts the focus on both parents and educators to keep a keen eye on what their “screenagers” are up to in the cyber world.
“It’s a responsibility we should all have,” he said. “With social media, it’s easy to hide behind things. When you have very impressionable young people, especially middle school and high school kids, having them being accountable for their actions is a huge step for us moving in the right direction in trying to eliminate some of the issues that we have in society with kids acting up that way.”
SB 179 also specifically outlines the definition of cyberbullying, something administrators say they didn’t have before. The act defines cyberbullying as “Bullying that is done through the use of any electronic communication device, including through the use of a cellular or other type of telephone, a computer, a camera, electronic mail, an internet website, or any other internet-based communication tool.”
Pleasant Grove Superintendent Jason Smith said they are aware that most cyberbullying happens off campus at that the definition, along with the other aspects of the law, allow them to take more preventive actions when it occurs.
“It allows us to intervene before the situation escalates,” he said.
David’s Law also requires districts to have an avenue for bullying to reported anonymously by students, parents and even community members. TISD has a form on their website where those who report are given the option to do identify themselves or not, and to also upload any screen shots or photos to help clarify the situation. PGISD and Liberty-Eylau ISD have reporting procedures in place where students can leave notes for teachers, administrators and counselors. L-E also has anti-bullying clubs at the middle school and high school. Students in STAND, an acronym for Stand Together and Never Discriminate, keep an eye on things at the learning level, according to District Spokesman Matt Fry. They also have the “Gotta Tell Somebody” system for reporting bullying, he said.
“It can be done through a phone number, text, or through a link,” he said. Then, the report goes to the school principal and counselor, who then decide if the report needs to be taken to a higher level. L-E Superintendent Ronnie Thompson said these tools, along with David’s Law, help them to keep their students safe.
“Teenage suicide is an epidemic across the country,” he said. “David’s Law is the legislature’s best effort to provide school districts with the administrative oversight to do what we can to stem that tide. Cyberbullying has a direct effect on students. Our hope is that this law will allow us to have a more productive conversation with parents of both students on both sides of bullying situations. Making a significant impact in this area will require cooperation on all sides.”
Districts are working to make parents more aware of David’s Law and their responsibility for their children’s online activities, but they say it’s proving to be difficult because the students are way ahead of parents on the technology learning curve. Texas High School Principal Brad Bailey said they deal with technical issues on a daily basis and are aware that some online activity is untraceable.
“The thing that worries me is all the apps that are out there now, people can send things anonymously you can’t tell what phone it’s coming from or who sent them,” he said. “I think that is the most dangerous thing out there right now, those type of capabilities for people to be able to do those things in secret and anonymously.”
He recommends parents be extremely proactive in monitoring their child’s cell phone use.
“I would suggest you monitor your child’s cell phone weekly, if not daily, especially in today’s times,” Bailey said. “Check the phone at least two to three times a week.”
He listed several apps parents can download to help track online activity, including DadGuard, which automatically sends reports to a specified email address, and Text Guard, which shows all incoming and outgoing keyboard activity, along with web history. He added that My Mobile Watchdog is another that gives a listing of all activity on a phone.
Mendy Sharp, principal at Pleasant Grove High School, also suggested the OurPact app, which gives parents full power over the phone, allowing them to delete apps, set usage timers and even turn it off if they so choose.
“It’s one of the best tools out there for parents to monitor what their child is doing with their device,” she said.
Sharp also said they are being proactive in addressing the parent side of technology and have formed a committee to determine the topics they’ll present to parents concerning both David’s Law and cell phone usage. It will also be addressed during an upcoming motivational, antidrug and anti-bullying presentation Oct. 25 featuring Buffy Coleman, who attended the 1993 Harlem Globetrotters training camp. L-EISD will also hold a city-wide anti-drug, alcohol and bullying rally Tuesday where cyber-bullying will be discussed.
Talking about the growing epidemic of social media abuse is something Norton says is everyone’s responsibility.
“Social media can be a great thing and it can be a horrible thing,” he said. “The main thing I think comes out of this is it engages the parents in every aspect of their child’s life. It’s our role as parents and educators to teach them through every aspect of life. You’ve to to be engaged. Good kids will make bad choices if they’re not supervised.”