Malik, 13, who goes to Monroe Middle School in Omaha, says he doesn’t want a picture of him making a silly face to fall into the wrong hands - and end up mocking him on the social networking site MySpace.
Elazhia, 11, a sixth-grader at Omaha’s Central Park Elementary, says “only professionals” should take her picture. That, she said, is a way to protect herself from harassment through the Internet, text messages or video - known collectively as “cyberbullying.”
A Nebraska state law passed in February is requiring school districts to take on electronic abuse in new or updated anti-bullying policies. An Omaha Public Schools board committee will take the first vote Monday on the district’s updated policy.
Districts throughout the state are expected to take similar action before the 2008-09 school year begins, said Jim Luebbe of the Nebraska Association of School Boards.
Iowa adopted an anti-bullying law that includes electronic abuse more than a year ago.
Electronic bullying is “one of the worst things that can be done (to a child). If we’re going to deal with bullying, we can’t just ignore it,” said OPS board member Nancy Huston.
The proposed OPS policy outlines a range of penalties, from short-term suspension to expulsion. Students also may be reassigned to another school for the behavior. The penalties for all forms of bullying would be the same.
As proposed, the policy would apply to grades four through 12.
Maddie Fennell, president of the Omaha Education Association, has urged the board to add the earliest grades as well.
“You want to let kids know at the earliest age possible what’s appropriate and what’s not appropriate,” said Fennell, who taught first grade for nine years. Waiting until fourth grade sends the wrong message, she said, because children could send hurtful e-mails as they’re just learning to write.

zwire.com