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Perhaps you saw this article detailing how a school district in Oregon is proposing to work with the state’s Department of Transportation to suspend the driver’s license of a student who has been suspended or expelled at least twice for harassing, intimidating, or mistreating another student or employee using electronic means. Again, it is great to see that strategies for response are being increasingly proposed, but I question this policy’s effectiveness. First off, cyberbullying occurs frequently among middle-schoolers and those who still yet can’t drive – so the deterrent reach of this policy is narrow. Second, if perpetrators are no longer allowed to legally drive – what will they be doing with their time? They will be likely be online more, since they have no mobility. They will likely also be mad at the world (to some degree) since they have no mobility. They might also be even more upset or mad with their victim(s) for contributing to the crappy situation in which they find themselves. These negative emotions towards the victim might lead to more bullying or cyberbullying.

I will say that the bill they passed last year (HB2637) requiring school districts to ban and formally respond to cyberbullying – is well-conceived.