NYC DOE Tightens Sexting, Cyberbullying Rules
RSSBy Lauren Barack
"If it's distributed on school grounds and it leads to disruption and distractions, then it can lead to discipline, which could be from a parent conference to suspension," says New York City's DOE spokesperson Margie Feinberg. Feinberg says New York City's DOE already states that inappropriate electronic communication, which leads to bullying or disruption in schools, can be punished within the school. But she says that the department has been asked to clarify exactly what kind of electronic communication it means, so there's no misunderstanding as to how students should behave while in school. "Every year we update the Discipline Code," says Feinberg. "It just gives students and staff information on what is expected of them." Concerns about sexting and cyberbullying have grown recently, presenting themselves in a myriad of ways, from a boyfriend or girlfriend forwarding a private image to multiple people to criminal harassment. Of particular issue is when minors send images of themselves, or others, across text messages, which can be considered child pornography and is illegal. While bullying is hardly new to children or schools--the advent of technologies like texting, cell phones, and the Internet have given bullies more anonymity when targeting victims. And they're able to do it with material that can be spread instantaneously. Schools, districts, educators, and states are looking for ways to not just encourage--but also enforce safer behavior among students in particular. While New York City's DOE acknowledges it can't restrict how students act outside of school grounds, setting ground rules while during the school day may have an effect on how young people behave once they go home.<
The New York City Department of Education (DOE) wants to update its Discipline Code, alerting students that if they engage in sexting or cyberbullying on school grounds, they'll be disciplined--with 90-day suspensions.
