1. State of Maryland:
•The bill requires the state board of education to develop a model policy
prohibiting bullying in schools, and it requires each county board to adopt its
own policy by July 1, 2009 based on the model.
•Unlike some other cyber-bullying laws, Maryland's bill says even if the
harassment takes place off school grounds, as long as it "substantially
disrupts the orderly operation of a school," administrators can report the
incident.
•The bill defines "bullying, harassment, or intimidation" as anything that is
"threatening or seriously intimidating" and creates a hostile educational
environment by interfering with a student's education, or their physical or
psychological well-being. Unlawful bullying includes harassment "motivated
by an actual or a perceived personal characteristic," such as race, sex,
religion or disability.
•The prohibition against bullying covers "intentional conduct including
verbal, physical, or written conduct, or an intentional electronic
communication."
2. Counties in Maryland
As required by law, the twenty-
four local school systems in
Maryland used the model policy
as a basis for developing their
own policies.
However, Maryland is one of
eight states that does not
mandate a state-wide policy.
3. Country
•In the United States, there's no federal law against cyber bullying
yet. A bill introduced to the House of Representatives last year
would make it against the law to "transmit in interstate or foreign
commerce any communication, with the intent to coerce,
intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to a
person, using electronic means to support severe, repeated, and
hostile behavior." Anyone found guilty of this crime could face a
fine or a prison term of up to two years.
•Several states have signed cyber bullying bills into law. States like
Maryland, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky and others have tried to
define cyber bullying in a way that allows law enforcement
officials to charge bullies with specific crimes. These laws also raise
concerns with free speech advocates. So while cyber bullying isn't
illegal on the federal level in the United States, it is illegal within
specific states.
4. States with Cyber
Bullying Laws
• 14 States =Yes
• Federal =proposed bill
• Washington DC =NO
• 6 States= Proposed
• 30 States= No
www.cyberbullying.us
