The Canadian Teachers' Federation wants Ottawa to criminalize cyberbullying.
On Saturday, delegates at the CTF annual general meeting in Moncton endorsed a document recommending that cyberbullying be made a criminal offence.
The CTF says the issue has become so serious that dramatic action needs to be taken to protect students and teachers.
"A lot of legislation doesn't address the new technology," CTF president Emily Noble told CTV.ca on Saturday afternoon.
"One of the problems is that cyberbullying is all anonymous. It's not like it is at the school yard ... Kids think they can say or do anything they want (on the Internet)."
Noble said teachers want the community to promote proper Internet conduct.
"We are working with the RCMP to develop an education component ... and we're lobbying MPs at the federal level. Let's look at the criminal code," she said.
Bill Belsey, an educator and creator of bullying.org, told CTV Newsnet that the group's move was a step in the right direction.
"I'm really pleased we've come to the point where the . . . CTF is taking leadership," he said. "Schools will do their best, but their reach and authority is somewhat limited."
According to the CTF's website, cyberbullying "is the use of information and communication technologies to bully, embarrass, threaten or harass another. It also includes the use of these technologies to engage in conduct or behaviour that is derogatory, defamatory, degrading, illegal or abusive."
A national poll commissioned by the CTF found 34 per cent of people surveyed knew of students who had been targeted by cyberbullies in the past year. Twenty per cent of respondents knew of teachers who had been cyberbullied.
CTF leaders say they want parents, school boards and government officials to work together to make schools safer for students and teachers.
