Journal #7

Should Schools Regulate Offsite Online Behavior?
by Nancey E. Willard and Lynn Wietecha

This question imposed in this articles offers two different perspectives. Nancy E. Willard says that school officials "can respond to harmful student off-campus internet postings. She says, "...students most frequently are posting the harmful material online from home. [Though] in some cases, these incidents are minor,...many times the effect of the harmful online postings is felt very significantly at school (students attempting or committing suicide)". She believes the most important step a school official can take is to be proactive in prevention activities, such as simple guidelines to provide students prevention and responses to cyberbullying. On the other hand, Lynn Wietecha,Ph.D says, "No" to the question. She believes in taking a reasonable approach to cyberbullying or any offsite online behavior. She say, "It is reasonable to expect schools to address safety issues... it is not reasonable for officials to monitor and manage the use of a student's home computer." Wietecha believes "it is reasonable to hold schools accountable for the outcomes of student learning".

Who do you agree with the most?
I believe both views on this question impose great argument for their side. I agree with Willard's idea on the most important step an official can take (being proactive in prevention). On the other hand, I also agree with Wietecha's idea of taking reasonable approaches and that school officials should not be held accountable or monitor a student's use of their home computer.

How would you react as a school official?
I would definitely take their advice in preventing students from cyberbullying and show them proper etiquette when communicating with others online. I believe it is all in the matter of educating these students to be aware of issues like cyberbullying and learning how to prevent them.