Schools Minister Jim Knight has outlined a further initiative to help stop online bullying. The new set of measures, reported on by Public Technology.net, specifically address the emerging phenomenon of cyber bullying. While the government views technological skills and monitoring as possible remedies to the problem, a more traditional approach based upon coaching children to rely on strength of character might prove more helpful.

The Department for Education and Skills web site now has a specific section dedicated to the problem of bullying and cyber bullying. The latter can be particularly unpleasant with young people creating blogs and websites to humiliate and isolate other pupils. Abusive text messages are also being sent, while “happy slapping” has already been well documented.

The minister’s plans place an emphasis upon schools monitoring all e-communications on their sites, parental supervision and encouraging young people not to respond to offensive messages. A new Education Bill will provide some backbone to this strategy, awarding more disciplinary powers to teachers and enabling local authorities to fine the parents of bullies.

However, will a new law necessarily solve this eternal problem? Strength of character and the will of a child to ignore bullies may seem like old fashioned advice to offer victims but could be just the remedy needed to beat the bullies.