Sexting. Flaming. Outing. Welcome to the sting of cyberbullying.

It happens in chat rooms, social networking Web sites such as MySpace or Facebook, on e-mail and in text messages.

It could be a message or photo that disparages a fellow student or video of a teacher unknowingly captured on a student cell phone and uploaded to YouTube.

According to the National Crime Prevention Center, more than 40 percent of all teenagers with Internet access have reported being bullied online during the past year.

Girls are more likely than boys to be the target, and the likelihood they will be bullied rises with the amount of time they spend online.

A study by the center reports:

• Only 10 percent of bullied kids told their parents.
• Only 18 percent of the cases were reported to authorities.
• Only 15 percent of parents are aware of their children's cyber-involvement.

What is the educator's role and responsibility in this swiftly moving technological word?
Setting standards and building relationships with students is essential to dealing with bullying, said Jerald Newberry, director of the National Education Association's Health Information Network.

Speaking at a recent NYSUT Health and Safety Conference, Newberry said educators should familiarize themselves with students' worlds of texting, social network pages and the lingo of cyberbullies, including:

• Sexting — Sending a nude or sexually explicit picture to someone else via cell phone.
• Outing — Putting private information on the Web to embarrass someone.
• Flaming — The posting of derogatory remarks.
• Trickery — Pretending to be someone else in order to trick them into revealing information.

"Sexting is happening in the district where I live," said John Ognibene of the Cassadaga Valley Faculty Association in southwestern New York and a member of NYSUT's Small and Rural Locals committee.

Typically, he said, a girl will send her boyfriend a provocative photo of herself over a cell phone. Then, when they break up, the boyfriend sends the photo to all his friends, sometimes with disparaging comments.

Workshop attendees from across the state offered examples of how different districts are seeking to deal with cyberbullying, including:

• In-school suspensions that include lessons in character education; 
• Bringing police into schools to talk about possible consequences of cyberbullying; and
• Confronting bullies to determine why they feel threatened by the way another student dresses or acts, for instance.

Ognibene said his district has a policy that prohibits students from using cell phones during the school day. When a phone is confiscated, parents must request its return.

Some wireless phone companies, it was noted, allow parents to limit the hours their child can use their cell phone — and block access to the Internet.

Newberry urged educators to reach out to all involved students — be they victims, violators or witnesses to bullying.

"Bystanders are often overlooked," he said. "If you just punish the bully, they go underground."

Paying attention is key, workshop participants agreed.

"You see kids every day. You know when a kid's in crisis," said Susan Finegold, a member of the Mt. Pleasant Cottage School local in Westchester County. "I say 'Let's take a walk.' That's how it starts. I ask what I can do to help."

While no state law directly addresses the issue of cyberbullying, state lawmakers are considering a "Dignity for all Students" bill. First introduced in 2000, the measure would seek to protect students from discrimination and ensure a safe educational environment.

The NYSUT-backed Safe Schools Against Violence in Education Act — Project SAVE — requires districts to adopt safety plans that include strategies for improving communication among students and between students and staff, such as youth-run programs, peer mediation, conflict resolution, creating a forum or designating a mentor for students concerned with bullying or violence.

Clear rules, enforced school-wide and known to all staff, are the best course of action, workshop participants agreed.

"It works if you have a policy. The rules are clear, and everyone follows them," said Deborah Zamonsky, a member of the Pine Bush Teachers Association.