Monday, October 16, 2017

Online Presence and Responsibility

The world our students are growing up in today is vastly different from the one you and I experienced.  With the constant pressures of academics, extra curricular activities, and non-school related activities our students sometimes feel as though they are stretched to the point of breaking.  True, many of grew up being involved in many activities both in and out of school.  However, we did not have to weather the storm of SOCIAL MEDIA as young adults.

The world of social media is expanding and evolving on a daily basis.  It may seem that just when we, as adults, have one website or cellphone app figured out another one more secretive and dangerous becomes available.

It seems that almost everyday we, as school officials, are dealing with students issues relating back to the use of social media.  Many of these issues stem from the fact that most students don't understand the ramifications and consequences that can result from poor decisions made regarding the use of social media.

As students are given the responsibility of an online presence, a earlier age every year, it is absolutely necessary for parents to have discussions about what is right and responsible.  Imagine handing over the keys to a car before your child took Drivers Ed., behind the wheel, or received their permit. Obviously, anyone can see the danger in that.  However, today we hand them a device that has more computing power than all the computers combined that were used to send man to the moon and capable of accessing all of the knowledge accumulated since the beginning of time, under the idea that "now they can get a hold of me and I can get a hold of them", with little or no direction.  It is foolish to expect that children will know how to manage an online presence if they are not taught what is acceptable behavior.  Here at the school, Ms. Jacob, the counselor has done lessons on this subject and we have had people from the Morton County Sheriff's Department come and explain to students, at the high school, what can happen if poor decisions are made.

Some of the issues we have dealt with here at New Salem-Almont High School over the past few years include:
  • Cyberbulling
  • Sexting
  • Harassing Snapchat messages/stories (which can be retrieved and don't just disappear) 
  • Students admitting to doing things via Snapchat  

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