(NOTE: This bill apparently repeats the same mistake virtually every other jurisdiction has made when it comes to addressing off-campus cyberbullying. It incorporates the (ahem) “substantial disruption” standard of Tinker v Des Moines SD. As I have noted in the past, that is a standard based on age bias, since “disruption” is commonly interpreted by the court as “adult inconvenience.” It’s past time to also incorporate the “second prong” of Tinker and focus on the impact on a student’s ability to learn in an educational environment that has been tained by off-campus cyberbullying. Until students become the focus of these laws — not adults — they will continue to have minimal effectiveness. – Mike)
By Jim Siegel
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Democrats in the House and Senate want to move Ohio schools into modern times when it comes to dealing with the destructive problem of bullying.
Far more than just passing notes or pushing down a classmate in the hallway, bullying today has moved online and into telecommunication, where text messages or Facebook postings can reach an abundance of recipients within seconds.
“The definition of bullying has expanded with the onset of cyberbullying,” said Rep. Marian Harris, D-Columbus. “We are not asking schools to be cyberpolice, but we are asking them to be alert and responsive to the situation.”
Harris and Rep. Nancy Garland, D-New Albany, are jointly sponsoring a bill that would require schools to expand their bullying policies to cover incidents of cyberbullying that occur off school grounds.