April 12, 2013

Consequences of Cyber Bullying

April 12, 2013/ Miguel Brown

Three teenage boys were arrested today and charged with sexual battery in connection to the alleged rape of Audri Pott back in September at an unsupervised party in Saratoga, California. Images of the sexual assault were subsequently shared at school, texted, and posted online. After discovering what had happened to her and learning that the images were posted online, Audri posted on Facebook that her life was ruined and committed suicide just a few days later. In Canada, a story with similar tragic consequences has reignited open conversation about cyber bullying. In this case, a 17 year old girl called Rehtaeh Parsons was raped at a party while she was black out drunk in 2011. Images of the event were shared via social media and the ensuing humiliation and harassment was too much to bear.

April 03, 2013

Firing of Rutgers Head Coach Puts Spotlight Back on Bullying

April 03, 2013/ Miguel Brown

Mike Rice, the head coach of Rutgers University men’s basketball program was fired today as video of him physical and verbally abusing his players during practice surfaced. No other word came to mind after watching Mike Rice belittle and push around his players than “bully.” It is a reminder that bullying can occur in a variety of settings and the bullies themselves can be people entrusted to instill value and work ethic into young people.

November 13, 2012

Facebook, Twitter, Social Media and Teenagers

November 13, 2012/ Miguel Brown

The rise of social media has transformed the way people around the world communicate, stay in touch, and learn. Much like social revolutions of the past young people such as teenagers are the most likely group to embrace change and pave the way for the future, while the rest of us struggle to keep up to the frantic pace of change. Today’s adolescents will have never know a world without Facebook or Twitter. On the other hand, adults are still playing catch up and reminiscing of simpler times. Social media platform such Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram bring with them exciting possibilities and potential dangers, especially for adolescents. The ability to stay involved in the life of a dear friend who has moved away through Facebook may lessen the emotional blow of having your friend move away. On the other hand, social media has created a new wave of privacy concerns that teens may overlook.

September 17, 2012

Bullying And Teenagers

September 17, 2012/ Miguel Brown

Bullying has gotten a lot of attention in the past few years. News agencies have run stories, researchers have published articles and governments have taken action. We know more about bullying and its effects on teens now than at any other time in our history. I collected the following information on bullying while I was working at the University of Miami and I present it below to inform parents, teenagers and families about bullying in more detail than the press can afford. It includes tips on what to do if your teenager is a bully or being bullied.