It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that bullying happens at schools – anyone who’s ever attended school knows this. When you imagine a bully in your mind, you might think of a tall, wide boy who harasses students in person or steals their lunch money. However, in today’s world there’s another serious type of bullying: Cyberbullying.
In short, cyberbullying refers to bullying that’s done using any type of electronic communication. It’s often the case that since students do this type of action on their own time and on their own device, the school has nothing to do with it and that the Office of Student Conduct can’t do anything about it. But is this true? Read on to learn more and if you’ve been accused of cyberbullying contact Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 for a free case evaluation.
A more precise definition of cyberbullying
We’ve given you the basic definition of cyberbullying but now we want to give you a few examples to help you better understand what it is. It might include creating a fake profile of a person on Facebook and then using that fake profile to impersonate them, it may include sharing videos that have been edited to make fun of a person, or it may include Tweeting threats.
It’s true that cyberbullying has become more prevalent because technology has advanced in recent years but that’s not the only reason it’s happening so much – it’s also because students can do it and feel as though they remain anonymous. In many cases though, their identities can be easily discovered.
It’s possible to get expelled from your college or university for cyberbullying
Not only is it possible to get suspended or expelled due to cyberbullying – it’s actually one of the most common reasons that students are suspended and expelled. All you have to do is make a threat against someone else in your school – whether online or to their face – and you could find yourself in a school administrative hearing.
What to do if you’re accused of cyberbullying
The first thing that will happen is that there will be an investigation into the claim. Your school must first investigate it before making official accusations, and that investigation should include talking to you. This should be done with your attorney present. Even if it seems to be an informal situation, remember that you could be facing expulsion. You have a right to consult with an attorney and at Law Office of Michael L. Fell we cannot stress strongly enough that you should do just that.
Get a free case evaluation today
Are you not sure if the situation you’re facing is serious or not? Are you wondering if it’s time to hire an attorney? The good news is that you don’t have to decide on your own. Instead, reach out to Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 for your free case evaluation. We can listen to your situation, consider the facts of the case, and offer our best advice on your best way forward.