[LM_NET] Again - NOT appropriate Internet safety education!

[Nancy Willard <nwillard@CSRIU.ORG>]

http://www.whittierdailynews.com/news/ci_13757147

Not developmentally appropriate.

Not accurate. 

Fear-based messaging has never been proven to be effective in preventing
risk behavior. 

This kind of instruction will prevent schools from embracing Web 2.0
technologies.

Reefer Madness ~ Just Say "No" approaches will not protect young people and
will damage the ability of schools to shift to 21st Century learning.

"Nelson Elementary School students got a special visit Tuesday from Rep.
Linda Sanchez, D-Lakewood, who was on hand to help the school kick off its
new Internet safety and security program.

In today's age of texting and social networking sites, Sanchez told dozens
of fourth- and fifth-graders that it's more important than ever to be aware
of the kind of information they put on the Internet that could put them or
others in danger. 

That's why she worked earlier this year to secure $190,000 in a federal
spending bill for the Los Nietos School District, specifically to help pay
for a new mobile computer lab and online training program for teachers,
parents and students from the nonprofit i-SAFE, Inc. (Both funded by DOJ.)"

...

"During Tuesday's assemblies, students watched clips about kids who were
killed after hooking up with someone they met online, or killed themselves
because they were bullied at school or online."

This is not in accord with the research findings on online predation. Yes,
there was one girl in CT who was killed. She was 13. Her username was
2hot2handle. Her web site was Sexyme4u2c. She was going to chat rooms to
meet men and arrange to have sex. This is not what we need to talk to 4th
and 5th grade students about.

The presentation of stories of young people committing suicide can cause
other young people to think this is an appropriate response to being
bullied!!!!!
...

"i-SAFE officials also showed how easily one student can be pulled out of a
crowd simply by using information normally posted online, including age,
gender and grade level."

In other words, if the school allows ANY information to be posted about
students online, these children are at risk of being abducted and killed!!!

This is NOT what the research indicates is risky behavior - risky behavior
is using sexy usernames, posting sexy images, and talking with adults about
sex. But if a school allows this kind of Internet safety education to be
provided, you can betcha that shifting to 21st Century learning environment
and Web 2.0 technologies will never occur.

Nancy


-- 
Nancy Willard, M.S., J.D.
Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use
http://csriu.org
http://cyberbully.org
http://cyber-safe-kids.com
http://csriu.wordpress.com
nwillard@csriu.org

Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats: Responding to the Challenge of Online Social
Aggression, Threats, and Distress (Research Press)

Cyber-Safe Kids, Cyber-Savvy Teens: Helping Young People Learn to Use the
Internet Safely and Responsibly (Jossey-Bass)

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