Presentation created for sharing with parent organizations discussing digital safety

1. Internet Safety for
(Elementary) Parents
Al Rowell
Director of Technology, Lowndes County Schools

3. Common Sense Tips for
Parents
http://youtu.be/H7CSsKciXDI
Five tips from commonsensemedia.org

4. Cyberbullying
Cyber bullying is defined as: threats or
other offensive behavior sent online to a
victim or sent or posted online about the
victim for others to see.
(Wolak, Mitchell, Finkelhor et al., 2006).
 Can be in form of email, text
message, IM, or posting on a social
networking site from someone who is
threatening to cause physical harm.
 It might be rumors posted on an online
profile or on a fake profile, or otherwise
spread online for others to see.

5. LCBOE Bullying Policy
-
Bullying is defined as follows: An act which occurs on
school property, on school vehicles, at designated
school bus stops, or at school related functions or
activities, or by use of data or software that is accessed
through a computer, computer system, computer
network, or other electronic technology of a local
school system, that is:
1. Any willful attempt or threat to inflict injury on another
person, when accompanied by an apparent present
ability to do so;
2. Any intentional display of force such as would give
the victim reason to fear or expect immediate bodily
harm; or

6. LCBOE Bullying Policy
3. Any intentional written, verbal, or physical act, which
a reasonable person would perceive as being intended
to threaten, harass, or intimidate, that:
a. Causes another person substantial physical harm
within the meaning of Code Section 16-5-23.1 or visible
bodily harm as such term is defined in Code Section
16-5-23.1;
b. Has the effect of substantially interfering with a
student's education;
c. Is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates
an intimidating or threatening educational environment;
or
d. Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly
operation of the school.

7. Cyberbullying Responses




Don’t post info others could use against
you
Don’t retaliate
Save any evidence
Response options
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Tell the person to stop
Ignore or block the user
Communicate with the parents of the user
Talk to school officials
Contact an attorney or law enforcement

8. Incidence of Cyberbullying



Incidence is often exaggerated (claims of 85%)
Centers of Disease Control report 16.2%; National
Center for Education Statistics reports 6%.
Three-year survey of more than 440,000 U.S.
children (between 3rd and 12th grade), 4.5 percent of
kids had been cyberbullied compared to 17.6 percent
from who had experienced traditional bullying [Dan
Olweus, “Cyberbullying: An Overrated
Phenomenon?”].
Larry Magrid
Beware of the Internet Safety Industrial Complex
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-magid/beware-of-the-internetsafety_b_4066956.html

9. What Parents Can Do


Talk with and Listen to Your Children Every Day
Ask questions about their school day, including
experiences on the way to and from
school, lunch, and recess. Ask about their peers.
Children who feel comfortable talking to their
parents about these matters before they are
involved in bullying are more likely to get them
involved after.
Be a Good Example
When you get angry at waiters, other drivers or
others, model effective communication techniques.
As Education.com puts it, "Any time you speak to
another person in a mean or abusive way, you're
teaching your child that bullying is ok."

10. What Parents Can Do
Create Healthy Anti-Bullying Habits Starting
as young as possible, coach your children on
both what not to do (push, tease, and be
mean to others) as well as what to do (be
kind, empathize, and take turns). Also coach
your child on what to do if someone is mean
to him or to another (get an adult, tell the
bully to stop, walk away and ignore the bully).
 Make Sure Your Child Understands Bullying
Explicitly explain what it is and that it's not
normal or tolerable for them to bully, be
bullied, or stand by and watch other kids be
bullied.


11. Concerns about images and cell
phones


Flawed studies have claimed 1 in 5
youth involved in explicit texting
1% of youth created explicit images of
themselves
(3rd Youth Internet Safety Study [2011] Crimes
Against Children Research Center)
5.9% reported having received such
images
 Students should know that possession
and transmission of explicit images of
minors can result in criminal charges


12. “One of the best ways to counter
negative behavior is to show that it's
not the norm.”
Larry Magrid
Beware of the Internet Safety Industrial Complex
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-magid/beware-of-the-internetsafety_b_4066956.html

13. Snapchat
Mommy 2.0 Snapchat video
Snapchat is a messaging
application that transmits
images that are set to self-delete.
Parents and students should discuss how they
use this and any messaging app in the context
of their family expectations for behavior.
There should be no false sense of security that
images sent via snapchat have not been saved
by the recipient.

14. But what about the
“next new digital
thing”

15. Suggestions for Parents
Avoid descriptions of Internet risks that
focus on deception and violence
 Explain that some adults will take
advantage of young people’s desire for
relationships, affection, and more.
 Do not suggest that inappropriate
behaviors are the norm. Often statistics
are exaggerated
 Focus prevention more on interactive
aspects of Internet use and less on
posting personal information

18

16. Suggestions for Parents




Still be careful about the information you
post online—your digital footprint
Communicate openly with your
child, browse together, and learn from
each other
Set rules and reinforce your values.
Be the Parent!

17. Resources
O’Brien, Anne. “Bullying Prevention: 5 Tips
for Teachers, Principals, and Parents.”
Edutopia.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/bullyingprevention-tips-teachers-parents-anneobrien
You can find more resources at the
Lowndes County Schools website under
Parents tab
http://www.lowndes.k12.ga.us