Cyberbullying The Death Penalty

Gr 6 Up—In the first book, chapters consider whether or not cyberbullying is a serious problem, whether it should be considered a criminal offense, and how it can be prevented. The latter section discusses whether or not electronically monitoring teens' online communications prevents cyberbullying or destroys trust and if stricter school policies could prevent it. One case discussed is Meier vs. Drew. Lori Drew posed as a teenage boy to woo and then harass 13-year-old Megan Meier. Drew was charged but not convicted in Missouri where the offense occurred because it happened on MySpace, which was based in Beverly Hills, CA. The jury's verdict came with a recommendation of probation and large fine rather than jail time. The fact that Megan Meir committed suicide was not even part of the issue. The actual trial was for fraud for creating a false profile on MySpace. In this article and all of the others, the information is stark and factual. The details for or against any particular viewpoint are left to readers to consider and decide. The second book addresses whether or not legality of the death penalty deters crime or if life in prison would be a better alternative. Other chapters address the justice and humanity of execution. The final chapter asks if murderers deserve to be treated as human beings. Both books include questions before each chapter; photographs of actual cases, cartoons, and graphs; and prompts to evaluate the authors' arguments. Useful for research and debates—-Donna Marie Wagner, George West High School Library, TX