School Climate 2.0

Sameer Hinduja is a professor of criminology and criminal justice at Florida Atlantic University. He is recognized internationally for his groundbreaking work about cyberbullying and safe social media use among youth. His research seeks to illuminate how best to promote civility, deter harmful behavior, and proactively reduce victimization online. Justin W. Patchin is a professor of criminal justice at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. For two decades he has been exploring the intersection of teens and technology, with particular focus on cyberbullying and sexting. He travels the world helping communities make online spaces safer and kinder.

Preface Important Features of the Book Breakdown of Chapters Acknowledgments About the Authors 1. Teens, Technology, and Trouble The Story of Sam What Would Happen to Sam Today? Teens and Technology Technology in Schools Breakout Box: Delete Day Why Schools Must Respond to Cyberbullying and Sexting Technology Isn't the Problem The Power of a Positive School Climate Summary Discussion Questions 2. School Climate: Where It Begins and Ends What Exactly Is School Climate? Assessing Your School's Climate Breakout Box: A Positive School Climate Makes Everything Possible Our School Climate Measure School Climate and Behaviors at School The Social Bond Breakout Box: School Climate and Its Effect on School Social Issues School Climate and Bullying Breakout Bok: The Benefits of a Positive School Climate Summary Discussion Questions 3. Adolescent Mistreatment in the 21st Century: An Introduction to Cyberbullying Bullying at School Consequences of Bullying What Is Cyberbullying? Breakout Box: A Teenaged Target's Cry for Help The Cyberbullied The Cyberbully Where Does Cyberbullying Occur? Correlates of Cyberbullying Cyberbullying and Self-Esteem Cyberbullying and Suicide Cyberbullying and School-Related Delinquency and Violence Unique Features of Cyberbullying Breakout Box: Decoding your Digital Footprint Breakout Box: Unique Characteristics of Cyberbullying The Relationship Between Traditional Bullying and Cyberbullying Summary Discussion Questions 4. Adolescent Relationships in the 21st Century: An Introduction to Sexting Sexting in the News High Profile Incidents Breakout Box: Adolescent Anger Lands Teen on the Sex Offender Registry Why do Teens Engage in Sexting? Sexting Images Go Viral How Many Teens Really Participate in Sexting? National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy Cox Communications MTV/AP Pew Internet & American Life Project Crimes Against Children Research Center Our Own Survey Sexting: A Continuum of Behaviors Crimes Against Children Research Center Typology Sexting and the Law Breakout Box: Selected State Sexting Bills Summary Discussion Questions 5. School Climate and Online Misbehaviors Breakout Box: School Climate and Cyberbullying School Climate and Behaviors Online Our Research Educators' Efforts Matter Whom Do Targets Tell About Their Experiences With Cyberbullying? Expectation of Discipline Summary Discussion Questions 6. Strategies for Improving Your School Climate Top-Down Approach Know Their Names Community Building Small Teacher-Student Ratios Stay in the Loop Clearly Define What Is "Not Cool" Breakout Box: Staying in the Loop: What I've Learned by Listening and Understanding Monitor Behaviors and Respond Fairly and Consistently to Problems Encourage Active Student Participation in Decision Making Student-Teacher Evaluations Encourage Reporting of Any Inappropriate Behavior Cultivate Hope The Important Role of School Counselors Breakout Box: School Counselors Can Help Inform and Involve the Community Continue to Lay the Groundwork Use Resources Available to You Breakout Box: What YOU Can Do to Spark Climate Change in Your School Summary Discussion Questions 7. It Takes a Village: Social Norms, Bystanders, and Peer Mentoring Social Norming An Overview of Social Norms Theory Social Norms Theory and Traditional Bullying Using Social Norming to Prevent Cyberbullying and Sexting Coordinate a Student Play Breakout Box: Using Stage Productions to Enhance School Climate Role-Playing Solidarity Walk or March Four Corners Breakout Box: Canadian Initiatives: Students Making a Difference Against Bullying Pledges Stop Standing By and Start Standing Up! Breakout Box: Minnesota Twins Peer Mentoring Summary Discussion Questions 8. Prevention Through Assessment: Taking the Pulse of Your School and Students Survey Your Students Breakout Box: Talking Points: How to Conduct Research Among Your Students Sampling Breakout Box: Use Data to Guide Your Climate Improvement Efforts Survey Development Survey Administration Breakout Box: Assessment Leads to Better Understanding Don't Forget About the Adults! Focus Groups Breakout Box: Sample Focus Group Questions Confidentiality, Consent, and Ethical Issues Summary Discussion Questions Appendix A: Our Survey Questions Appendix B: Psychometric Properties for Cyberbullying Scale 9. Effective Prevention Requires Effective Response Can Schools Respond to Behaviors That Occur Away From Campus? Just Say No to "Zero Tolerance": Utilize Informal Responses When Appropriate Natural and Logical Consequences Breakout Box: What Schools Should Do When Made Aware of a Cyberbullying Incident When Can Educators Search the Contents of Student Cell Phones? Special Considerations When Responding to Sexting Incidents Breakout Box: What Schools Should Do When Made Aware of a Sexting Incident Policy Issues Cyberbullying Breakout Box: Elements of a Cyberbullying Policy Sexting Breakout Box: Elements of a School Sexting Policy When to Get Law Enforcement Involved Educate Students About the Consequences Before the Behavior Breakout Box: One School's Response to Social Networking Drama A Call for Education and Outreach Summary Discussion Questions Index

"Amidst the hysteria surrounding cyberbullying and sexting, Hinduja and Patchin represent a sane, sensible voice that helps us all better understand these phenomena and what is really happening here. This book is filled with useful information and practical tips for those who seek to create positive school climates where bullying of all kinds is minimized. Every educator should buy it and read it." -- Kevin Jennings, Former Assistant Deputy Secretary of Education for Safe and Drug Free Schools "It is critical that educators, school administrators, parents, and technology companies work together to promote positive behavior - online and off. This practical guide provides important information, backed up by careful research, about the ways that adults can help build constructive dialogues and relationships with students." -- Joe Sullivan, Chief Security Officer "Working with schools around the country, I know firsthand how much pressure there is to find an "answer" to bullying in schools, whether because of recent laws mandating programs and training or the community demanding answers. It's hard to know what resource is best. It's especially confusing because a bullying-prevention industry has bloomed to take advantage of this need but so many of these programs lack content based on a realistic analysis. I'm not at all surprised that Justin Patchin and Sameer Hinduja have created the resource all schools should use in School Climate 2.0, either to meet the new legal requirements or truly do the hard and comprehensive work of creating a culture of dignity in a school. From understanding the true dynamics of cyberbullying, to outlining a commonsense strategic plan for educators that will work with their individual community, School Climate 2.0 to my mind is really the most important resource currently available. I will more than strongly advise every school I work with to use this book. Say it this way: if I could make School Climate 2.0 mandatory reading for every school administrator in the country, I would." -- Rosalind Wiseman, Author of Queen Bees and Wannabes "A rarely seen compendium of school strategies that have worked, School Climate 2.0 moves past the headlines to offer a textured discussion of what we really need to strengthen school culture and improve teens' and schools' relationships to social media." -- Rachel Simmons, Author of "Odd Girl Out" "Blaming technology is easy. Addressing the socio-cultural dynamics that shape young people's lives is hard. Yet, to address hard problems like bullying and sexting, this is precisely what we need to do. In School Climate 2.0 Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin flesh out the relationship between technologically mediated issues and school climate before offering valuable strategies for educators and community members to address problems in their schools. Both grounded and practical, this is a must-read for all who are scratching their heads about how to prevent bullying and sexting." -- Danah Boyd, Senior Researcher "Finally, a book that takes a holistic approach to the cyberbullying problem! There is no dividing line between school and home when it comes to the ways members of this generation relate to one another. A positive school climate can only help create a more positive home environment, and vice versa. This book gives readers specific guidance regarding how to prevent cyberbullying, sexting, and other problematic online behaviors." -- John Halligan "School Climate 2.0 is a wise and practically helpful book. The authors are national leaders in cyberbullying. They present a helpful overview to the problem and most importantly a series of concrete suggestions about how we can make our schools safer, more supportive and engaging. In addition, the book is filled with "voices from the field", prevention points, discussion questions at the end of the chapter which all serve to make this volume practically helpful to educators. I highly recommend it!" -- Jonathan Cohen, President "By cutting through all the media hype and speculation, Hinduja and Patchin present an accurate and helpful analysis of issues related to young people's use of technology. By pointing out that the vast majority of youth are using technology safely and responsibly, they're able to focus on the real issues, the real problems, and the kids who need our help. By basing their advice on rigorous research, they are able to come up with strategies that are effective and appropriate. I'm especially pleased that the authors focus on social norms and school climate by sharing insights into how the overall climate of a school affects the behavior of everyone in it." -- Larry Magid, Technology Journalist and Internet Safety Advocate "This is an immensely helpful and well-sourced book. It gives a thorough introduction to adolescents' use of new technologies and sexting and cyberbullying. It makes a strong case that school climate is a vital factor in regulating these abuses. There are excellent chapters on how practical intervention strategies can be implemented in schools. It will be a great resource for teachers, educators, and parents." -- Peter K. Smith, Emeritus Professor "While Sameer Hinduja and Justin Patchin have a history of providing leadership in solid research and effective outreach on issues of youth risk in a digital age, in this book they have massively outdone their past excellence. Grounded in the understanding that the majority of young people make good choices online and effectively handle the negative situations that do occur, but that a minority of young people are at higher risk, Hinduja and Patchin craft recommendations for a positive school climate approach to help all young people learn to make good choices and assist their peers." -- Nancy Willard "Sameer Hinduja and Justin Patchin remind us early on that, contrary to most media hype, most young people use their ubiquitous technologies safety and responsibly the majority of the time. Then, they discuss how a positive school climate is fundamental for all of learning and teaching. They share innovative, pragmatic strategies to enhance climate and thereby foster a better social environment- which will reduce behavioral problems offline and online among youth. This very readable, very user-friendly book should be considered mandatory for all preservice teacher education programs and be used as a guide for planning ongoing inservice training as schools prepare to better meet the needs of their 21st century students." -- Mike Donlin, Cyberbullying and Digital Safety Consultant "This book shared valuable information about social networks and texting that increased my awareness of their prevalence and potential legal consequences of student misuse." -- Carol S. Cash, Assistant Professor "This book will help administrators lead their schools to form and keep policies that reduce or eliminate cyberbullying." -- Brigitte Tennis, Headmistress