Superintendent Feirsen: Addressing Cyberbullying a Top Priority for District

Assemblyman Edward Ra, R-Franklin Square, and Sen. Kemp Hannon, R-Garden City, recently lauded the passage of New York's cyberbullying law. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the Dignity for All Students Act into law Monday.

According to the Daily News:

The bill requires schools to develop proper protocol to deal with complaints of email, texting or online harassment and designate an official to handle investigations.

Districts will also have to develop preemptive measures to prevent recurrences and create age-appropriate curriculum for students from kindergarten to 12th grade on "safe, responsible use of Internet and electronic communications" as well as "civility, citizenship and character education."

Garden City Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Feirsen said the district has made addressing cyberbullying a "top priority since the 2010-2011 school year when we established it as a district goal."

"A comprehensive research-based report was generated to assist the district in understanding current best practices, and to aid in reviewing and enhancing the various anti-bullying programs and activities already in place for our students, staff and parents," Dr. Feirsen added. "We have also reviewed and amended our Board of Education policies to be in compliance with New York State’s Dignity Act. In a coordinated effort beginning in the 2010-2011 school year, and guided by the district’s Cyberbullying Committee, each building has infused age appropriate anti-bullying programs into daily practice. We have also provided extensive staff development and parent education."

Dr. Feirsen said Newsday interviewed Garden City Middle School students about their "upstander" activities in the Anti-Bullying Club (ABC) in 2011. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Fino Celano (co-chair of the Cyberbullying Committee) and social worker Michelle Delgati (Cyberbullying Committee member) recently were invited to present Garden City’s program as a model for other schools implementing the Dignity Act at a conference of the Long Island Guidance Counselors Association.

The state Education Department plans to develop guidance on implementing the requirements by the time the law goes into effect on July 1, 2013, Newsday reported.

However the bill does not make cyberbullying a crime.

"In our ever-changing world, young people today are more computer savvy and spend more time online than any previous generation," Ra said. "Unfortunately, this has lead to a disturbing rise in cyber bullying and resulted in very tragic outcomes. This legislation...will help us prevent the tragic consequence we have seen come about from cyberbullying."

Hannon added, "Unlike bullying which may take place in a school yard, our 21st century tools allow cyberbullies to abuse their victims on a 24/7 basis, and in too many instances, this type of non-stop bullying has led to tragic consequences.

"That’s why this law represents a major step forward in our effort to ensure a safer, more secure environment for young New Yorkers to learn and grow."