Anti Cyber Bullying Policy

SCOIL NIOCLAIS NAOFA

Anti Cyber Bullying Policy

Cyber Bullying

Cyber Bullying includes (but is not limited to) communicating via electronic means with the objective of causing hurt, fear, embarrassment, humiliation, alarm and/or distress to one or more persons.

Cyber Bullying includes the use of mobile phones and the internet with the objective of upsetting someone.

It may take the form of general insults or impersonation, defamation or prejudice-based bullying.

Unlike other forms of bullying a once-off posting can constitute bullying.

While bullying involves a repetition of unwelcome behaviour the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools, September 2013, states that ".......in the context of these procedures placing a once-off offensive or hurtful public message, image or statement on a social network site or other public forum where that message, image or statement can be viewed and/or repeated by other people will be regarded as bullying behaviour"

While this policy addresses issues related to cyber bullying of students (ie situations in which one or more students are the victim(s) of bullying) the policy also applies to teaching and other school staff.

This policy applies to activities and events that take place

During school time (including break time)

School Trips/Tours

Extra-curricular activities within school hours

Scoil Niocláis Naofa reserves the right to take action against bullying perpetrated outside the school which spills over into school.

What is Cyber-Bullying

Text Messages - can be threatening or cause discomfort.
Pictures/Video Clips via mobile phone cameras - images sent to others to make the victim feel

threatened or embarrassed

Mobile Phone Calls - silent calls, abusive messages or stealing the victim's phone and using it to

harass others, to make them believe the victim is responsible.

Emails - threatening or bullying emails, often sent using a pseudonym or somebody else's name.
Chat Room Bullying - menacing or upsetting responses to children or young people when they are in

a web-based chat room.

Instant Messaging (IM) – unpleasant messages sent while children conduct real-time conversations

Online

Bullying via websites - use of defamatory blogs (web logs) personal websites and online personal

Aims of Policy

To ensure that pupils, staff and parents understand what cyber-bullying is and how it can be combated.

To ensure that practices and procedures are agreed to prevent incidents of cyber-bullying.

To ensure that reported incidents of cyber-bullying are dealt with effectively and quickly.

Procedures to prevent cyber-bullying

Staff, Pupils, Parents and Board of Management (BOM) will be made aware of issues surrounding cyber-bullying through the use of appropriate awareness-raising exercises.

Pupils will learn about cyber-bullying through Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and other curriculum projects.

The school will engage a speaker to facilitate a workshop on cyber-bullying for classes regularly.

Staff CPD (Continuous Professional Development) will assist in learning about current technologies.

Parents will be provided with information and advice on how to combat cyber-bullying.

Pupils, Teachers and Parents will be urged to report all incidences of cyber-bullying to the school.

All reports of cyber-bullying will be investigated and recorded.

The Gardai may be contacted in cases of cyber-bullying.

Procedures in the Code of Behaviour will be followed to deal with cases of cyber-bullying. Sanctions for children engaging in cases of cyber-bullying are the same for any type of bullying within the school.

Teachers/Facilitator will dedicate a standalone lesson to deal with the issue of cyber bullying annually.

Staff and parents will periodically be invited to a talk on bullying to include cyber bullying.

Students and staff are expected to comply with the school's acceptable use of the Internet Policy.

Scoil Niocláis Naofa endeavours to block access to inappropriate web sites, using firewalls, antivirus protection and filtering systems. Furthermore no pupil is allowed to work on the internet without a member of staff present