Prevalence of Cyberbullying in Schools

Cyberbullying is bullying or harassing an individual through the use of technology including computers, cell phones, or tablets. It generally occurs through platforms such as text, social media, and email. "A Pew

Girl crying at words "ugly"
and "loser" on laptop and cell phone

Research Center survey in 2018 found that 59% of U.S. teens had experienced some form of online harassment, including receiving physical threats and being the victim of false rumors". Cyberbullying can happen at any time of the day and when things are spread online, they are there forever. Warning signs that may suggest a child's a victim of cyberbullying include changes at school, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, and feelings of sadness after being online. Overall, parents and teachers should look for these warning signs and create open communication with children. Additionally, cyberbullying is an extremely important topic in the education field because it affects so many students and often goes unnoticed. It is a newer form of bullying which has resulted in the increase in technology use in schools. Teachers are often able to notice changes in their students' behaviors and play a huge role in addressing this problem. 

I believe that cyberbullying is not talked about enough for how prevalent it is. It is evident that cyberbullying has negative impacts on children and can cause harm to their mental health. Although it usually occurs outside of school, it still affects learning in the school environment and can make students feel unsafe and unwelcome. Children who come to school in these mindsets don't have the same equal learning opportunities as their peers. It is shocking that more than half of teens reported some form of online harassment and I think the use of technology, in general, has increased cyberbullying in schools. I remember when I was in middle school there was a website called Ask.fm which was a way to ask and answer questions anonymously. I remember that people would put it on their Instagram profiles so that other people could ask them questions. It started out as a way to interact with others however, it turned into a way for people to bully and harass others anonymously. People would get all types of hurtful comments and even though you couldn't put a face to these words, they were just as impactful.