The power of principals to protect their students from bullying has been extended beyond the school gate, in response to the widespread reach of techno-savvy bullies, the South Australian government announced this week.

Principals are now able to suspend or exclude students who threaten the safety or wellbeing of others in the school community, regardless of where and when incidents occur.

SA Education Minister Jane Lomax-Smith says cyber-bullies do not respect school hours.

“Through new technologies, students can become victims of cyber bullying at any time of the

day, night or week,” she says.

“We must do all we can to protect students’ rights to learn and feel safe and supported when they are at school.”

Principals can also now confiscate students’ mobile phones and hand them over to police as

evidence, if there is reasonable suspicion that the phones have been used to record a crime.

The Department of Education and Children’s Services (DECS) has advised principals that they can take these actions under Regulations 40 and 41 of the Education Act 1972.

“Bullying in any form is unacceptable,” Dr Lomax-Smith says. “Whether the method is face to

face in the school yard, over social networking websites at home or via mobile phone text

messages, schools will not stand for bullying committed by or against students.”

The State Government first put the spotlight on cyber bullying back in 2004 through a detailed

anti-bullying package and training provided to every school in the State.

This advice to principals is the latest in a range of preventative measures designed to keep

students cyber-safe, such as implementation of the Keeping Safe Child Protection Curriculum,

introduced in 2007, which includes content on the safe use of new technologies.

A pamphlet about cyber bullying and e-crime, developed with SA Police and NetAlert, was

distributed to South Australian families in 2007.

Updated information materials, titled Cyber Safety: Keeping Children Safe in a Connected World, are being developed to inform principals, teachers and parents about cyber-safety.

“We will continue to work with school communities to create even safer school environments,” Dr Lomax-Smith