Under Connecticut law, cyberbullying is specifically included in the definition of “bullying” and therefore is equally prohibited as physical or verbal misconduct. Cyberbullying means any act of bullying through the use of the Internet, interactive and digital technologies, cellular mobile telephone, other mobile electronic devices, or any electronic communications such as social media.
One recent example of cyberbullying occurred in Westport’s Staples High School through the use of an App called Yik Yak, which allows students to post anonymous messages about their peers and teachers. As was widely reported by both local and national news outlets, Yik Yak messages had a severely detrimental effect on individual students, faculty, the educational process, and student culture in just a few hours before administrators disabled access to it on campus.
If you have any questions related to education law in Connecticut, please contact Joseph C. Maya, Esq. at (203) 221-3100 or e-mail him directly at JMaya@Mayalaw.com.