The Senate has opened discussion in Hawaii about prosecuting cyberbullies on criminal charges. House Bill 688 will require schools to create policies to deal with the problem of cyberbullying.
Lawmakers have mixed feelings about this bill. The earlier form of this bill had chronic cyberbullies facing a Class C felony with a minimum of five years in prison while first-time offenders would spend at least 48 hours in jail. Senator Suzanne Chun-Oakland sees a need to enforce consequences on offenders, but doesn’t believe criminalizing cyberbullying is the answer in every instance.
Other senators support House Bill 688 without question. Rep. Karen Awana thinks it’s extremely important to make children aware there are consequences to their actions when using a computer or phone. This bill will ensure the law will be keeping pace with the technology that is out there.
“Senate Tackles Cyberbullying” starts with a basic news headline that packs a lot of punch with author Chris Mikesell’s use of a strong verb. But the article’s lead differs from its headline as it is neither a basic news lead nor on the same topic. The narrative lead is does it’s intended job of introducing the need for the bill to be passed in the senate, but leaves the reader confused and wondering if they’re reading the right article for four paragraphs.
After the lengthy narrative lead the reader can find the nut graf. The nut graf is brief and much more newsworthy than the information in the lead. Quotes and attributions of members of the Senate and the House follow to support the ideas found in the nut graf. The variety of opinions addressed fills the rest of the article with objectivity. Mikesell further facilitates reader comprehension with a closing sentence of a bold quotation from the mother of a victimized child. Thus leaving a reader to decide how they feel about House Bill 688.
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/hawaiinews/20110410_Senate_tackles_cyberbullying.html
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