On September 22, 2010, Tyler Clementi leaps off of the George Washington Bridge in New York. Phoebe Prince, on January 14, 2010, hangs herself along with Megan Meier, who hung herself in October of 2006. Ryan Patrick Halligan committed suicide when he was only thirteen. Sladjana Vidovic tied a rope around her neck and the other end to her bedpost. Then, the sixteen year old jumped out the window. What do all of these tragic deaths have in common? Not only are they teenagers who took their lives, they are all victims of cyber bullying.
With the growth of new technology, many bullies are unsatisfied with just harassing their victims just at school and on the streets. Bullies are now targeting them online, with the ability to create a twenty-four seven environment full of torment for those being bullied. The question is though, should cyber bullies be suspended from school?
In my opinion, all bullies should be suspended from school, including cyber bullies. In many
cyber bullying cases, the bully is often hard to track because they can create fake profiles to stay
out of trouble. If they are able to be caught, consequences should be endured. Some schools across the country have chosen to ignore cyber bullying, saying that it will work itself out. It wasn’t until recent suicides in today’s schools that made schools pay attention to cyber bullying.
Many schools believe that if you hold assemblies informing children and teens about bullying
and cyber bullying, everything will get better. No, bullying will not cease because of a seminar.
Schools need to take action. Suspensions are a great fix for cyber bullies and bullies, but it is only temporary.
Teenagers are bullied everyday about anything, and with the Internet it can make everything a
lot worse. Ryan Patrick Halligan committed suicide because of bullies. Ryan had a learning
disability. Sladjana Vidovic was foreign and had a thick accent. Megan Meier, Tyler Clementi,
and Phoebe Prince all took their lives because people they thought they knew stabbed them in the
back.
These days, law enforcement and bullying prevention groups ask that you report cases of bullying and cyber bullying. Experts say the demise of any type of bullying is not anytime soon. Law enforcement teams are taking the issue of cyber bullying seriously. In West Virginia, laws are being made to punish these offenders. If the offense is serious enough, teenagers and children that bully are at the risk of being sent to juvenile detention centers. Many cyber bullies are fined with large amounts of money. How do we punish the bullies who are not in the high offense and do not grab the attention of law enforcement? The only option is to suspend them.
Bullies nationwide are becoming a serious issue and problem in today’s society. With a cyber-
age upon us, cyber bullying will become more common than ever. Victims of bullying cannot change the way they are, so why bully? We all have flaws. We are only human. Suspension of bullies and cyber bullies are only a temporary fix, but one small thing can make a big difference.