Cyberbullying

If you feel you have been bullied, harassed or threatened online, contact your school’s counselor, social worker or principal.

See bottom of this document for related policies and regulations

What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is using the Internet or other mobile devices to send or post harmful or cruel text or images to bully others. (http://csriu.org/)

  • It can take the form of a message on email or IM or a social networking site from someone who is threatening to hurt you or beat you up.
  • It might be rumors posted on your profile or spread online for others to see.
  • It might be the deletion of you on a friend’s “buddy list” to make you feel left out.
  • It could be a profile made by someone pretending to be you.
  • Or, someone hacking into your profile and writing comments pretending they’re from you.

From Prevent Cyberbullying and Internet Harrassment

Common Forms of Cyberbullying

  • Flaming is online fights using electronic messages with angry and vulgar language.
  • Harassment is repeatedly sending nasty, mean, and insulting messages.
  • Denigration is sending or posting gossip or rumors about a person to damage his or her reputation or friendships.
  • Impersonation is pretending to be someone else and sending or posting material to get that person in trouble or danger or damage that person’s reputation or friendships.
  • Outing is sharing someone’s secrets or embarrassing information or images online.
  • Trickery is tricking someone into revealing secrets or embarrassing information, then sharing it online.

Section B. of the Lincoln Public Schools Rights and Responsibilities of Students:

B. Use of violence, force, coercion, threat, intimidation, bullying (which includes any ongoing pattern of physical, verbal or electronic abuse), harassment or similar conduct in a manner that constitutes a substantial interference with school purposes.

What to do if you think you are being bullied?

  1. Keep a record (including time and date). This may help to determine who is sending the messages.
  2. Tell someone. Talk to someone you trust, a parent, school counselor, social worker or teacher.lt;/li>
  3. Don’t reply to bullying messages.
  4. Keep your username and passwords secret. Keep your personal information private.

Parents:

If you have concerns about bullying in your child’s school, please contact your principal.

Students will be disciplined for material and substantial disruption of class. This course of action is determined by the school administration and LPS Student Services.

Online resources that may help you gain more background on cyberbullying:

LPS Staff:

Contact your principal, counselor or social worker if one of your students comes to you concerned about cyberbullying.

If you are concerned about bullying against you, contact your principal or Dr. Nancy Biggs, LPS Human Resources.

If you know the bully, appeal to their sense of decency, fairness and compassion to stop the behavior.

“Encourage dialogue. Remind your students why certain activities are not allowed. Help them to use the social networking tools appropriately…Kids, tweens, and teens are using social networks regularly. All predictions indicate use will continue to increase, so it’s also increasingly important that we find ways to incorporate them into schools. Only in this fashion will we be able to teach kids how to use them well.” (Renee Ramig, Multimedia Internet@Schools, Nov/Dec 2009)

If you or your student’s parents have questions about cyberbullying, here are some additional resources:

Books available in LPSDO Media Services. Call (1830) if you would like books checked out and sent to you:

  • Bissonette, Aimee M., J.D. Cyberlaw: Maximizing safety and minimizing risk in classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2009.
  • Hinduja, Sameer, and Patchin W. Justin. Bullying beyond the school yard: preventing and responding to cyberbullying. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2009.
  • Willard, Nancy E. Cyberbullying and cyberthreats: responding to the challenge of online social aggression, threats, and distress. Champaign, IL: Research Press, 2007.

LPS Policies and Regulations related to Cyberbullying

Lincoln Public Schools Policy 5482: Anti-Bullying, Revised 6/2008

Lincoln Public Schools provides physically safe and emotionally secure environments for all students and staff. Positive behaviors (non-violence, cooperation, teamwork, understanding and acceptance of others) are encouraged in the educational program and are required of all staff. Inappropriate behaviors, including but not limited to bullying, intimidation and harassment, must be avoided by students and all staff. Bullying means any ongoing pattern of physical, verbal or electronic abuse on school grounds, in a vehicle owned, leased or contracted by the school being used for a school purpose by a school employee or designee, or at school-sponsored activities or school-sponsored athletic events. Strategies and practices are implemented to reinforce positive behaviors and to discourage and protect others from inappropriate behaviors.

The School District shall review the anti-bullying policy annually.

Lincoln Public Schools Policy 6441: Technology Resources and Internet Safety Policy, Revised 1/26/2010

Lincoln Public Schools adopts and shall enforce a policy of making technology resources available only to advance educational goals and objectives, supplement instruction and further school purposes. The operation and use of such technology resources by students, staff and the community shall be consistent with this policy. Technology resources includes, without limitation, computers and related technology equipment, all forms of social media, E-mail or electronic communication and the Internet. The implementation of this policy shall include technology protection measures with respect to computers with Internet access, consistent with district standards, the Children’s Internet Protection Act or other law. The Superintendent of the superintendent’s designees are authorized and directed, as part or the administration of this District, to establish and enforce regulations, forms, procedures, guidelines and specific District standards to implement this policy. The use of cell phones or any social media by students or staff in a manner that adversely impacts or other wise interferes with school purposes as determined in the sole discretion of the District is prohibited and may result in disciplinary action including expulsion or dismissal.

Lincoln Public Schools Regulation 3972.1:

Acceptable Use of Computers, Network, Internet and Websites, 10/28/2003

School computers, networks and other technology resources including, without limitation, computers and related technology equipment or networks, all forms of E-mail or electronic communication, websites and all access to the Internet, including all on-site or remote access thereto through school accounts, hereinafter referred to singly or collectively as “Computer Use,” and all files or information stored therein or thereon are the property of Lincoln Public Schools and shall be regulated by Lincoln Public Schools. Any Minor, Student, Adult, Staff Member or other person who engages in Computer Use as defined herein, is a “Computer User.” Computer Users have no privacy rights or expectations of privacy when using the same. Computer Use and all files or information stored therein, thereon or linked thereto may be monitored, tracked, logged, copied, reviewed and accessed at any time without prior notice. Lincoln Public Schools has complete authority to regulate all Computer Use and Computer Users. Computer Use is a privilege and not a property right. Computer Use is not a public forum. Computer Use is made available subject to all Board policy and regulations, these regulations, building guidelines, use agreements, handbook provisions and all administrative orders or directives as issued from time to time. Computer Use is limited to current Lincoln Public Schools employees and

Lincoln Public Schools business uses only. Computer Use shall not be permitted for personal reasons or for purposes that are contrary to the mission of the building site or the Lincoln Public Schools, unless deemed incidental, intermittent or occasional. The administration in its sole and absolute discretion shall determine what personal use may be permitted as incidental, intermittent or occasional. Any Computer Use for profit is strictly prohibited. All Computer Users are hereby notified that any Computer Use as defined herein shall constitute an agreement by the Computer User to be bound by all Lincoln Public Schools policies and regulations, these regulations, building guidelines, use agreements, handbook provisions, and all administrative orders or directives as issued from time to time.

A. Definitions

1. Computer Use — Shall mean and include the use of school computers and networks and other technology resources including, without limitation, computers and related technology equipment or networks, all forms of E-mail or electronic communication, websites and the Internet including onsite or by dial-up or remote access thereto through school accounts, as well as any use which involves visual depictions, audio, video or text, in any form.

2. Computer User — Shall mean and include any Minor, Student, Adult, Staff Member or other person who engages in Computer Use as defined herein.

3. Access to the Internet — A computer shall be considered to have access to the Internet if such computer is equipped with a modem or is connected to a computer network which has access to the Internet, or which accesses the Internet by dial-up or remote access using a school Internet account.

4. Minor — Shall mean an individual who has not attained the age of 19.

5. Student — Shall mean an individual, regardless of age, including a Minor who is receiving educational services and is enrolled in Lincoln Public Schools.

6. Obscene — Shall have the meaning given such term in Section 1460 of Title 18, United States Code.

7. Child Pornography — Shall have the meaning given such term in Section 2256 of Title 18, United States Code.

8. Harmful to Minors — Shall mean any picture, image, graphic image file or other

visual depiction that:

a. taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex or excretion;

b. depicts, describes or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual sexual act or sexual contact, actual normal or perverted sexual acts or a lewd exhibition of the genitals; and

c. taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value as to minors.

9. Hacking — Shall mean Computer Use or using the Internet to attempt to gain unauthorized access to proprietary computer systems.

10. Technology Protection Measure — Shall mean and refer to a proxy server managed by Lincoln Public Schools that blocks and/or filters Internet access.

11. Authorized Adult Staff Member — Shall mean and refer to an adult staff member of Lincoln Public Schools.

12. Adult — Shall mean and refer to all Lincoln Public Schools employees or staff members and any other individual, whether an employee of Lincoln Public Schools or not, age 19 or older, except a Student as defined herein, who is a user of school computers or engages in Computer Use.

B. Computer Use and Access to Internet by Minors or Students

Minors or students accessing Internet services or engaging in Computer Use as defined herein shall be subject to the following rules and regulations, along with any additional building guidelines, use agreements, handbook provisions and all administrative orders or directives as issued from time to time:

1. Minors or students shall not access information or material that is obscene, child pornography, harmful to minors or students or otherwise inappropriate matter for educational or school-related uses.

2. Minors or students shall not engage in Computer Use which involves hacking or attempts to otherwise compromise any proprietary computer system’s security or other unlawful activities by minors or students online or otherwise.

3. Minors or students shall not use electronic mail, chat rooms and other forms of direct electronic or computer communications without approval of an authorized adult staff member.

4. Minors or students shall not disclose, use or disseminate personal identification information or personally identifiable information of themselves or others while engaging in Computer Use or while otherwise using or on the school account, computer, network or Internet.

5. Minors or students shall not engage in illegal activities on the Internet.

C. Computer Use and Access to Internet by Adults

Adults accessing Internet services or engaging in Computer Use as defined herein shall be subject to the following rules and regulations, along with any additional building guidelines, use agreements, handbook provisions and all administrative orders or directives as issued from time to time:

1. Adults shall not access material that is obscene, child pornography or otherwise inappropriate matter for educational or work-related uses or contrary to the School’s mission.

2. Adults shall not engage in Computer Use which involves hacking or attempts to otherwise compromise any proprietary computer system’s security or other unlawful activities by Adults online or otherwise.

3. Adults shall not engage in illegal activities on the Internet.

D. Technology Protection Measure

Lincoln Public Schools shall use a technology protection measure that blocks and/or filters Internet access to prevent access to Internet sites that are not in accordance with policies and regulations. In addition to blocks and/or filters, Lincoln Public Schools may also use other technology protection measures or procedures as deemed appropriate.

1. The technology protection measure that blocks and/or filters Internet access may be disabled only by an authorized staff member for bona fide research or educational purposes; (a) who has successfully completed District training by the Department of Instructional Technology on proper disabling circumstances and procedures, (b) with permission of the immediate supervisor of the staff member requesting said disabling, or (c) with the permission of a building administrator.

2. An authorized staff member may override the technology protection measure that blocks and/or filters Internet access for a minor to access a site for bona fide research or other lawful purposes during which time the minor will be monitored directly by the authorized staff member or his/her designee.

E. Adult or Minor Websites

Lincoln Public Schools has complete authority to regulate school property websites along with all content and posted link therein. This includes authority to shut down or remove any such website or posted link therein. All school property websites are bound by and must comply with all Lincoln Public Schools policies and regulations, these regulations, building guidelines, use agreements, handbook provisions and all administrative orders or directives as issued from time to time.

F. Violations of Rules

Any violation of Lincoln Public Schools policies and regulations, these regulations, building guidelines, use agreements, handbook provisions or administrative orders or directives as issued from time to time on Computer Use by any Computer User as defined herein, including access to the Internet may result in removal of privileges, reporting to law enforcement agencies and additional disciplinary action, including possible expulsion for minors or students or termination of employment for staff members or employees.

G. Objections

Objections to technology protection measures or related matters shall be handled under Regulation 6440.4 using the same procedures as are used for objections to the use of curriculum materials.

H. Severability

If any portion of this regulation or any section, sentence or word is held invalid for any reason, the remainder shall not be affected thereby.

Updated June 22, 2023