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Ontario Proposes School Cyber-Bullying Law

Posted by kdawson on from the first-in-a-trend dept.

nursegirl writes "Ontario announced today a proposal to change their education act to add both physical bullying and cyber-bullying to the list of behaviors that can get a student suspended or expelled. Posting comments, pictures, or videos attacking other students or teachers outside of school hours will carry the risk of school punishment, if the incident is believed to have an 'impact on school climate.'"

3 of 267 comments (clear)

  1. Cyberbullying? GImme a break by Op911 · · Score: 5, Insightful
    This sounds like trouble. Who judges what is cyberbullying and what is just being a troll? Much as we may like to see people modded down for making assinine comments or denigrating statements to others, I hardly think that this would be enough cause for someone to be suspended or expelled from school. I see this as having huge potential for abuse, and having little to no potential to actually help make schools safer. This is stupid knee-jerk stuff.

    If people actually are documented attacking others on video or in a picture, then they deserve to be charged with assault and dealt with accordingly.

    A specific statement regarding "cyberbullying" potentially could trample om free speech.

  2. Re:Good on them. by Sinanju · · Score: 5, Insightful

    No, having to grow a thick skin is the price of living in a _free_ society. People are free to say what they like about you (short of libel or slander), even if it hurts your feelings.

  3. Re:Good on them. by Gorshkov · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As someone wiser than me has pointed out, having to "grow a thick skin" shouldn't be the price of living in an information-based society.
    Agreed. To illistrate the point: let's pretend that my daughter's class pools their money and takes out a full-page add in the local newspaper making insulting & deriding one of their classmates, a teacher, or the principal. Show of hands, please, from all of you who think that they shouldn't be punished and/or sued for libel.

    Nobody? Didn't think so.

    Now - will somebody please tell me the difference between that full-page add, and a video posted to youtube?

    There *is* none. It's the same act.

    "Information-based society" is a cop-out. It's still libel, and it's about bloody time the law started CATCHING UP to the "information-based" society. I don't give a damn about the technology that is or is not involved - People still should be held responsible for their actions.