Cyber-Bullying: Issues and Solutions for the School, the Classroom and the Home

Leading expert Shaheen Shariff releases her latest book at McGill
Over the past decade, advances in technology have radically reshaped the social landscape in which adolescents find themselves. While there are many positive aspects of living in an increasingly wired world, cyber-bullying has emerged as a growing concern for children, schools, families and society.

On June 12, Dr. Shaheen Shariff, Assistant Professor in McGill University’s Faculty of Education, will launch her latest book, Cyber-Bullying: Issues and Solutions for the School, the Classroom and the Home. The event will include a talk by the author and will be held at 5:30 p.m. at McGill’s Education Building, Jack Cram Auditorium, 3700 McTavish St.

Although the media describes modern technologies as providing children with “an arsenal of weapons for social cruelty,” Dr. Shariff argues that this is not a “battle” but is, in fact, an “opportunity” to educate both adults and young people. In her new book, she examines the reasons for the current policy vacuum surrounding this complex issue and hopes to help stakeholders navigate the emerging challenges that virtual harassment poses to freedom of expression, privacy, safety and discipline in cyberspace.

Dr. Shariff studies the impact of law on educational policy and practice, and is increasingly seen as a leading expert on cyber-bullying. She recently served as principal investigator on two high-profile research projects – one to develop legal guidelines to help schools address cyber-bullying and another to study the effect of Quebec’s intercultural policies on students from diverse ethnic groups. In addition to publishing extensively on topics related to cyber-bullying, she has presented nationally and internationally on cyber-safety. In June 2005, she participated in a roundtable consultation, organized by the United Nations Secretary-General, to address the issue of violence against children.