Issues for Contemporary School Leaders: E-bullying

Abstract

Studies conducted in other countries have shown that electronic bullying (E-bullying) more popularly known as cyberbullying, has many of the same effects on its victims, such as decreased interest in school, lower academic grades, low self-esteem and depression (Shellard, 2002). Electronic bullying disallows even this temporary respite, as the impact of E-bullying does not let up when students exit the school doors. Consequently, E-bullying has invaded homes, penetrated deeper into bedrooms and confiscated their personal laptops and cellular phones. The purpose of this phenomenological research is to understand school leadership’s approach to E-bullying in a rural Jamaican High School as technology becomes more widespread across the Island and social media continues to replace conventional student interaction; thereby exploring ways to prevent E-bullying and providing possible interventions after its occurrence. There is a lack of intensive research in the Caribbean particularly in Jamaica as it concerns E-bullying. Invariably rural students are influenced by the negative attitudes and behaviors in society. A cross-sectional probability survey by Powell, Bourne and Waller (2007) found that crime coupled with violence is the foremost national problem in Jamaica, indicating a culture of social conflict, violence and viciousness in the society, which would have shaped behaviours of young people.