 THERE ONCE WAS A FOOLISH WOMAN IN A SMALL VILLAGE, WHO SPREAD SOME GOSSIP ABOUT ANOTHER WOMAN IN THE VILLAGE. BEFORE LONG THE FOOLISH WOMAN BEGAN TO FEEL REMORSE ABOUT WHAT SHE HAD DONE, SO SHE WENT TO THE WISE MAN OF THE VILLAGE TO ASK HIM WHAT SHE SHOULD DO TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT. THE WISE MAN LISTENED CAREFULLY TO HER STORY, THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT, AND THEN TOLD HER TO GO TO THE MARKET AND BUY A CHICKEN. ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE MARKET SHE WAS TO PLUCK THE CHICKEN LETTING THE FEATHERS FALL ALONG THE PATH. THE NEXT DAY SHE WAS TO COME BACK AND SEE THE WISE MAN AGAIN. THE FOOLISH WOMAN DID AS THE WISE MAN SUGGESTED. SHE BOUGHT THE CHICKEN AND PLUCKED IT ON THE WAY HOME. WHEN SHE CAME TO HIM THE NEXT DAY SHE TOLD HIM THAT SHE HAD DONE WHAT HE HAD ASKED HER TO DO. THE WISE MAN SAID TO HER, “NOW, I WANT YOU TO GO HOME TODAY BY THE SAME ROAD YOU TOOK YESTERDAY, AND PICK UP EVERY SINGLE FEATHER YOU DROPPED ALONG THE PATH.” THE WOMAN WAS DISTRAUGHT, AND PROTESTED THAT THERE WAS NO WAY SHE COULD FIND AND PICK UP ALL THOSE FEATHERS. THE WIND WOULD HAVE SURELY BLOWN THEM EVERYWHERE! THE WISE MAN QUIETLY RESPONDED, “YOU ARE CORRECT…AND YOU SEE, JUST AS YOU CANNOT RETRIEVE ALL THOSE FEATHERS, THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN EVER RESTORE THE REPUTATION OF THOSE WHOM YOU HARMED WITH YOUR WORDS.” THE CHICKEN STORY: A TALE OF REGRET

Just because it’s not face to face it still hurts, and you probably wouldn’t say the same thing face to face.

“I don’t know why everybody HATES me so much, or maybe I do. Because now I hate me too. I really don’t see the reason for trying, or for talking, or for breathing. I’m just done. So that’s it I guess.” Taylor Hillridge (Cyberbully victim)

 “It gets better. It seems hard, you know, I think being different is always gonna be a tough climb. There’s always gonna be people that are scared of it. But at the end of the day you give those bullies, those people, that are so ignorant, if you give the them power to affect you, you’re letting them win. And they don’t deserve that. What you’re doing by being yourself is you’re keeping it real, and you’re being really brave.”  Adam Lambert

Click to add text CYBER-BULLYING Are you part of the 43%?

Cyberbullying defined: “Cyberbullying is the use of cell phones, instant messaging, , chat rooms or social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to harass, threaten or intimidate someone (Rouse, 2010, p.1).”

DID YOU KNOW?  43% OF KIDS HAVE BEEN BULLIED ONLINE.  75% HAVE VISITED A WEBSITE BASHING KIDS.  OVER 80% OF TEENS OWN A CELL PHONE MAKING IT THE NUMBER ONE MEDIUM FOR CYBERBULLYING.

MORE FACTS  FOUR OUT OF TEN MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE HAD THEIR PASSWORD(S) STOLEN AND CHANGED BY A BULLY WHO THEN LOCKED THEM OUT OF THEIR OWN ACCOUNT AND SENT COMMUNICATION POSING AS THEM.

MORE FACTS  GIRLS ARE TWICE AS LIKELY AS BOYS TO BE VICTIMS AND PERPETRATORS OF CYBERBULLYING.  THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL OUTCOMES OF CYBER- BULLYING IS COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT THE INTERNET IS AVAILABLE ALL THE TIME, UNLIKE SCHOOL. 11 facts about cyberbullying

THE PROBLEM  IT IS DIFFICULT FOR A SCHOOL TO LEGALLY GET INVOLVED WITH ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED OUT OF SCHOOL.  SCHOOLS CAN BE SUED FOR ABUSE OF POWER EVEN THOUGH PARENTS WISH THEM TO GET INVOLVED.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS  EVERY SCHOOL HAS AN ACCEPTIBLE USE POLICY IN REGARD TO CELLPHONE AND INTERNET USE.  IF THE SCHOOL FEELS THAT A STUDENT’S SAFETY AND WELL BEING IS BEING JEOPARDIZED, A BULLY MAY BE DISCIPLINED.

SEND A STRONG MESSAGE  Students are accountable for their own actions.  No one will ignore cyberbullying.  It may be an issue for the local authorities.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?  REACH OUT AND TELL AN ADULT.  KEEP YOUR COMPOSURE.  WORK TO HELP CHANGE YOUR SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY.  DO NOT SHARE PERSONAL INFORMATION WITH OTHERS.

IF YOU’RE THE BULLY  MAKE A COMMITMENT TO CHANGE.  BE EMPATHETIC.  ASK YOURSELF WHY?

IF YOU WITNESS BULLYING  INTERRUPT IT AND GET HELP!

IF YOU’RE THE TEACHER  EDUCATE STUDENTS EARLY OF THE DANGERS OF CYBERBULLYING.  TEACH GOOD “NETIQUETTE”.  POST ANTI-CYBERBULLYING POSTERS.  CREATE SAFE HAVENS AND SUPPORT GROUPS.  GIVE SUPPORT AND DIRECTION TO PARENTS AND CHILDREN WHO ARE BULLIED AND ARE BULLIES.  HAVE ASSEMBLIES WITH CYBERBULLYING THE TOPIC.

Rachel Ehmke, 13, died April 29, 2012

Joel Morales, 12, died June 2012

Celina Okwuone, 11, died May 20, 2010

Simone Grice 15, died Jan. 2012

Bully victims are between two to nine percent more likely to consider taking their own lives than non victims, according to studies by Yale University. According to a report by ABC news, 160,000 students stay home from school every day due to fear of bullying and let’s remember, cyberbullying doesn’t take a vacation.

MOST CHILDREN DO NOT REPORT BEING CYBERBULLIED! GIVE THEM A PLACE TO GO AND A PLACE TO SHARE. LISTEN! LISTEN! LISTEN! LISTEN! LISTEN! SOME STUDENTS, WITH NOWHERE TO TURN, HURT THEMSELVES!

REFERENCES 11 facts about cyber bullying. Do something.org, Retrieved from cyber-bullyinghttp:// How can schools fight cyberbullying?. Marbella family fun, Retrieved from Rouse, 2010, What is cyberbullying?. What is.com, Retrieved from Johnson, W. (Photographer). (2010). Teen cyber-bullied to death?. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from Bullying statistics. (2009). Retrieved from