Thirteen-year-old Megan Meier was thrilled when she started chatting with Josh Evans on social media. She was sad and lonely, but Josh was good-looking and very kind to her. He even told her that she was his “number one.” However, one day Josh’s messages suddenly turned from nice to cruel. Megan was devastated. She was so hurt and upset by the way he treated her that she committed suicide. Later, Megan’s parents learned that Josh Evans was not a real person. Neighbors had created the false profile to harass Megan. 

Bullying existed in schools before the internet and cell phones, but cyberbullying only started when students gained access to smart phones and other online devices. Cyberbullies use text messages, email, or social media to post or send harmful messages. Cyberbullying also includes spreading rumors and manipulating photos and videos online. 

Studies show that cyberbullying increases as students get older and that both victims and bullies are more likely to be girls than boys. Cyberbullying is especially common among middle school students. Over half of all middle school students are involved in cyberbullying either as a bully or as a victim. When a child is having problems in school, cyberbullying can be an underlying cause. Students who are bullied online may be afraid to come to school, participate in class, talk to their peers, or go to recess. When people are afraid, they are less able to learn. 

Some people say schools should be more involved in helping to stop cyberbullying. They suggest school administrators or resource officers could investigate cyberbullying as harassment. They may say that teachers should be trained on how to talk with students about cyberbullying. Class discussions could address how to stay safe on the internet, how to handle cyberbullies, and where to get help if you are hurt by cyberbullies.

However, others say that schools can only control what happens at school, not what happens out of school or online. They argue that schools should focus on teaching and on managing behavior on school grounds. Some people say that schools simply do not have the capacity to adequately address student harassment on the internet. And if cyberbullies use anonymous accounts, school administrators may not even be able to determine who they are. 

Are schools responsible for protecting kids from cyberbullying? Or is this more than schools have capacity to handle?