Adolescence is a very difficult period of life.  Not only are we physically and emotionally growing and maturing at this time, but we socialize with kids going through the exact same process.  This creates an environment where the line between right and wrong is little known and often crossed, and it is this environment that is the perfect breeding ground for bullying.  Like anything else, as technology has developed bullying has adapted to this development.  Online cyber bullying is one of the most pervasive social issues faced today by America's youth.  Stopbullying.gov reports that "The 2010-2011 School Crime Supplement (National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics) indicates that 9% of students in grades 6–12 experienced cyberbullying" and that "15% of high school students (grades 9-12) were electronically bullied in the past year."  The website also outlines why cyber bullying is different, and often more effective, than bullying in the past:

• ·     Cyberbullying can happen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and reach a kid even when he or she is alone. It can happen any time of the day or night.

• ·     Cyberbullying messages and images can be posted anonymously and distributed quickly to a very wide audience. It can be difficult and sometimes impossible to trace the source.

• ·     Deleting inappropriate or harassing messages, texts, and pictures is extremely difficult after they have been posted or sent.

Not only is cyber bullying a much more effective way of harassing victims, it is also much easier to find yourself being a part of.  When messages are read online they are read simply as they are, with no tone of voice, body language, or other means of conveying any intended irony.  This means that messages can easily be misinterpreted and become a cause of anger and aggression, which may cause a person to lash out, something that is much easier to do online because there is a false sense of a lack of accountability.  When you are not face-to-face with someone it is easy to see them as an idea, the idea that they are offending you, and to say things to them that you would never think of saying to their face.  With all this in mind it is easy to see why so many kids across the country are often terrified of going to school.  Cyber bullying is a major social issue that we as a society must come together to address.

The stopbullying.gov article can be found in the link below.

http://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-it/#whycyberbullying

Discussion One

Internet access is not a human or civil right: comparing access to the internet to access to water, food, or the right to vote is absurd.  The internet, like any technology, attempts to improve the life of people who can use it, but  that does not mean it is essential to leading a healthy life.  

However, our right to use it can be infringed upon by your government.

For example, it is not a basic human or civil right to have access to a horse.  However, the government should not be able regulate how you choose to use your horse should you happen to own one.  If I own a horse I should be able to ride it whenever I want, not just on Wednesday as hypothetically regulated by the government.

Personal information:

Matthew Thomas, Grosse Pointe Park, mthomas18@jcu.edu

Matt is fine.

I love sports, especially hockey which I am playing for John Carroll. I love staying up to date with events happening in American politics and worldwide events. I enjoy learning and making friends.
Learning Style and more: 

A teacher and group who understand that failure is ok as long as you continue to work hard and don't give up.

Technology and Social Justice:
The wheel is the most important technological invention to date.

Equality of thought. It's ok to be different and society needs to understand that.

Gay rights, racial equality, gender wage gap equality.

 

I speak out against discrimination regardless of where it comes from.

About Dr. Shutkin: 
What social justice issue do you think is the most prevalent in our society?