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California law updated to include cyberbullying by students through social networking sites
include cyberbullying by
students through social
networking sites
the right to suspend or expel a student for bullying
another student over the Internet or by other
electronic means has been updated to include
bullying others through social networking websites.
The bill, AB 746, sponsored by Assemblywoman
Nora Campos (D-San Jose) goes into effect Jan. 1,
after it was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown on
Friday.
"My hope is that the conversation will be more about
what will happen to you if you engage in bullying
on social networks,'' said Campos.
The assemblywoman's bill essentially tweaks AB 86,
sponsored by then-Assemblyman and now state
Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) that became law in 2009.
That legislation addressed all forms of
cyberbullying, including those from cell phones,
computers or websites. However, social networking
websites were not explicitly addressed in AB 86, and
Campos said they have only grown in popularity
since.
The new law provides clarity, she said.
"It's a technicality, but it's an important one,'' said
Common Sense Media CEO James Steyer. "This adds
on to existing law and makes it clear.''
The nonprofit's education programs and policy
efforts seek to empower young people, parents and
educators to become knowledgeable and
responsible digital users.
"Clarification is never a bad thing,'' agreed Marc
Buller, a Santa Clara County assistant district
attorney who oversees juvenile crime cases.
used by young people to bully other young people.''
With the new law, he added, "there is no room for
ambiguity.''
Campos said she was inspired to amend the current
law after reading news stories about students who
had been bullied by others through social media
sites and had committed suicide.
In 2008, Del Mar High School student Amanda
Brownell attempted to hang herself after what her
parents and friends called a case of cyberbullying.
She has been a quadriplegic since the incident, said
her mother Ann Brownell, who was aware of the new
law on Monday, though not entirely satisfied with it.
"Expelling someone from school for bullying is not
the answer,'' she said, because the students can
figure out a way to continue to be active online.
Instead, Brownell said, she would rather see a
privilege, like a driver's license, taken away from the
bullies, "to give them something to think about.''
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