Massachusetts Bans Electronic Bullying

[The Straight Story]

Massachusetts Bans Electronic Bullying


BOSTON—Schoolyard taunts have traveled from the playground to the electronic sphere. Lawmakers have recognized this. On March 19 the Massachusetts State House unanimously passed Senate Bill 2283, "the anti-bullying bill.” Bullying is defined as “the severe or repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal, or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another student that has the effect of: (i) causing physical or emotional harm to the other student or damage to the other student’s property; (ii) placing the other student in reasonable fear of harm to himself or of damage to his property; (iii) creating a hostile environment at school for the other student; (iv) infringing on the rights of the other student at school; or (v) materially and substantially disrupting the education process or the orderly operation of a school.”

With the new law, Massachusetts became the 42nd state to prohibit electronic bullying. The bill prohibits bullying school grounds, at bus stops, on school buses, and in property owned in the school. It goes one step further so as to prohibit bullying that takes place in non-school environments if the act of bullying results in “a hostile environment at school for the victim, infringe on the rights of the victim at school, or materially and substantially disrupt the education process or the orderly operation of a school.

The bill also works towards the intervention and prevention of cyberbullying, which it defines as bullying by means of technology or electronics.

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