I’m being bullied on the internet / on my mobile, what should I do?
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) defines cyberbullying as "the use of ICT, particularly the internet and mobile phones, deliberately to upset someone else.”
Unfortunately, cyberbullying incidents in school communities are increasingly frequent and, if you're experiencing this kind of bullying, you'll know that it's not just a problem for your students.
In recent years, reports of cyberbullying against members of the school workforce have increased and concerns are growing among the teaching unions that technology is providing a new vehicle for the harassment of teachers.
One of the aims of Teachtoday is to help you combat the misuse of ICT and promote a culture of confident, responsible technology users within your school.
That includes knowing how to respond to cyberbullying against teachers and in the following sections, we answer some of your questions about cyberbullying, basing our guidance on that provided by the DCSF in 2007 and 2009.
Where can I find out more?
- Refer to your school's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and Anti-Bullying Policy.
- Speak to your school's e-safety co-ordinator and anti-bullying co-ordinator.
- Read about real-life examples of cyberbullying incidents against teachers and get advice about what action to take if something similar happens to you here.
- Refer to the DCSF's ‘Cyberbullying: Supporting School Staff' guidance, developed in association with Childnet .
- Contact your union to discuss the action they are taking on the issue of cyberbullying against teachers. You can find contact details for the UK teaching unions here.