Linda Shields

"Cyber bullying is defined as involving "...the use of information and communication technologies such as e-mail, cell phones and pager text messages, instant messaging, defamatory personal websites, and on-line personal polling websites, to support deliberate, repeated and hostile behavior by an individual or group that is intended to harm others.."

As society evolves, so do the topics with which schools and educators must cope. Technology is adding to the growing and changing issues. One of the latest, most difficult to address is the problem of cyber bullying. With the rash of school related violence bullying is a hot topic in most schools throughout the United States. As the availability of computers to all students has increased, so have the incidences of cyber bullying. It is a way of communication that can cause immeasurable harm when misused as a way of threatening, demeaning or through the use of words or images. Personal or school email are used for one on one attacks, group public humiliation is attained through sites such as My Space. Parents and schools must be alert to this expanding form of bullying and its effects on our children.

Each different avenue and form of cyber bullying is addressed in this book as well as the possible underlying causes and response suggestions. It does not lump all incidents together but examines the potential motivation behind the attacks and looks at ways of identification and prevention. One of the books strengths is that it is very specific with concrete ideas that can be practiced and implemented. The sources of the information behind the program are well documented and plentiful.

The authors of this book advocate that "the focus be on assessment with a therapeutic response to cyber bullying . A proactive rather than reactive approach.." This textbook for educators and parents is written in a concise format that uses defined tables of information and bulleted lists to clearly present extensive information. Bold section titles with brief introductory overviews enable the reader to carefully work through what could potentially be an overwhelming amount of information. It includes check lists, reporting forms and assessment tools that are ready for use by school counselors and administrators. This can be used as a resource guide or an actual textbook for workshops or seminars. It also lists many, many sources of additional information for anyone who would like to explore the topic further.

Demystifying and Deescalating Cyber Bullying in the Schools: A Resource Guide for Counselors, Educators and Parents will be a valuable addition to any school computer program, resource library or workshop curricula.… (més)

Bullying continues to plague many children during their school years and as times change, so do the bullying tactics. Computers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA), cell phones, chat rooms, and instant messaging (IM) have brought about an entirely new way for children to get hurt. Barbara Trolley, Connie Hanel, and Linda Shields have teamed up to help those school administrators and parents to battle this growing problem. Their newly published book, “Demystifying and Deescalating Cyber Bullying in the School: A Resource Guide for Counselors, Educators and Parents” tackles the fundamentals of this serious issue as well as recommends a detailed plan of action involving the individual, the school, and the community.

‘Kids will be kids’ is not a response that Trolley, Hanel, and Shields consider appropriate for the subject of bullying. Since cyber bullying can be accomplished with no witnesses, it is essential that children are taught to recognize the signs as well as receive assurance that it’s alright to report the problem. Further, typical punishments such as detention, suspension, or expulsion should not be immediately considered for the bully. Instead, therapeutic measures should be taken to get to the deeper issues and get the instigator the help they need to address their internal problems.

Trolley, Hanel, and Shields successfully communicate their proactive plan of action, detailed down to even month-by-month activities in a given school year. Their message is easy to understand and just as easy to implement in real-life situations. Chock-full of outside resources, “Demystifying and Deescalating Cyber Bullying in the School” offers counselors and parents addition avenues to further their education on the subject.

Bullying may never be completely obliterated from our schools but that doesn’t mean we can’t teach our children what acceptable and unacceptable social behavior is. Reduced numbers of bullying incidents results in less cases of lower self-esteem and a greater feeling of community – and better-adjusted adults in the long run.
--Vicki Landes, author of "Europe for the Senses - A Photographic Journal"… (més)