School leaders’ perceptions of cyberbullying legislation in Texas : understanding David’s Law implementation

Abstract

Bullying and its effects on students have become a common concern among school leaders. Bullying can occur in cyberspace on such platforms as SnapChat, Tumblr, or on other social media applications (commonly known as apps), and is often referred to as “cyberbullying.” Recently in Texas, Senate Bill 179, called David’s Law, was enacted and implemented in public schools during the 2017-2018 academic year. Given its initial implementation, limited research has focused on school leaders’ perceptions of David’s Law. Identifying how school leaders are interpreting and addressing David’s Law is imperative to provide insight about cyberbullying and protecting school children. This study focuses on school leaders’ perceptions of David's Law in Texas public schools. The qualitative study answers the following questions: 1. How do school leaders interpret David’s Law in their school district? 2. What do school leaders do to address David’s Law requirements and guidelines? This study was conducted following a qualitative research approach in order to identify the perceptions of school leaders in regard to the initial implementation of David’s Law in Texas public school districts. Further, the qualitative study follows Creswell’s (2013) guidelines to “interpret the larger meaning of the story” related to cyberbullying (p. 191). A total of six participants were selected for this study including a central office leader, a high school principal, an assistant principal, a counselor, a parent and a teacher. Data was collected through interviews, document reviews, and a researcher’s reflective journal. Findings indicate that school leaders interpret David’s Law as a set of expectations and an accountability mechanism. In addition, they employ specific district wide strategies, such as development of policies and procedures; David’s Law-focused professional development; inclusive collaborative partnerships; and education of all stakeholders. These findings provide insight for school leaders interested in implementing David’s Law