All states have anti-bullying policies and laws. However, only certain ones are effective. States need to accept the responsibility of doing their part to end bullying. There is still quite a high level of bullying in states with anti-bullying laws, because most anti-bullying laws do not completely explain what they cover, are not worded correctly, or are too vague.
Even a basic state anti-bullying law is associated with significantly lower in-person and cyberbullying reported in schools. “In states that include at least one of 16 federally recommended anti-bullying components in their anti-bullying laws, researchers found that high school students were 24% less likely to report being bullied generally, and 20% less likely to report being …show more content…
“15.5% of students nationally reported being bullied online”(“Association Between Anti-Bullying Laws in 25 States”). Anti-cyberbullying laws and anti-harassment policies are both vulnerable to constitutional challenge based on vagueness. They can also suffer from overbreadth because they forbid protected speech as well as unprotected speech. “While 43 states have anti-bullying statutes, only 21 prohibit cyberbullying”(Anti-Cyberbullying Legislation). And so because of their vagueness and overbreadth, it is likely that many anti-bullying statutes will suffer the same fate as most anti-harassment policies. A court finding of unconstitutionality will not make that law or policy itself invalid, but only find void that particular application of the law. Most anti-bullying laws and policies that are not proven to work will likely be repealed.The battle public school officials have been waging against student internet speech has not gone unnoticed by legal …show more content…
“The law specifically requires schools to create certain policies for prevention, training, and enforcement concerning behavior that may lead to bullying”(“Bullying”). Supporters say that the psychological effects of cyberbullying bleed over into school time and impinge on your learning environment. Critics, however, argue that such laws give schools too much power. “In one UCLA study, psychologists found that the more a
Even a basic state anti-bullying law is associated with significantly lower in-person and cyberbullying reported in schools. “In states that include at least one of 16 federally recommended anti-bullying components in their anti-bullying laws, researchers found that high school students were 24% less likely to report being bullied generally, and 20% less likely to report being …show more content…
“15.5% of students nationally reported being bullied online”(“Association Between Anti-Bullying Laws in 25 States”). Anti-cyberbullying laws and anti-harassment policies are both vulnerable to constitutional challenge based on vagueness. They can also suffer from overbreadth because they forbid protected speech as well as unprotected speech. “While 43 states have anti-bullying statutes, only 21 prohibit cyberbullying”(Anti-Cyberbullying Legislation). And so because of their vagueness and overbreadth, it is likely that many anti-bullying statutes will suffer the same fate as most anti-harassment policies. A court finding of unconstitutionality will not make that law or policy itself invalid, but only find void that particular application of the law. Most anti-bullying laws and policies that are not proven to work will likely be repealed.The battle public school officials have been waging against student internet speech has not gone unnoticed by legal …show more content…
“The law specifically requires schools to create certain policies for prevention, training, and enforcement concerning behavior that may lead to bullying”(“Bullying”). Supporters say that the psychological effects of cyberbullying bleed over into school time and impinge on your learning environment. Critics, however, argue that such laws give schools too much power. “In one UCLA study, psychologists found that the more a