School Safety
February 16th, 2009
Our students are digital natives, a term that means that teens look at the Internet, cell phones, instant messaging, and text messaging as a part of their normal social lives. Adults are digital immigrants who use technology as a tool to supplement our lives. For students, asking them to turn off the communications technology is like asking them to eat steak without a knife and fork. Sure, the kids could eat the steak, but it’s messy and awkward without the right tools. Our students are so used to their digital tools that face-to-face communication and online communication blend seamlessly.
That seamless blend of the live and the virtual makes cyberbullying, bullying that takes place through a digital medium, a more complex problem to solve than just turning off the cell phone or logging off the computer. Thirty percent of our students have experienced cyberbullying, the effects of which extend beyond the online universe and into their offline world – including the classroom.
January 28th, 2009
We all want our classrooms and schools to be safe for students. But a safe location isn’t enough, according to a Girl Scouts of America (GSA) study about girls’ safety. “Trusted relationships, in which girls feel valued and supported, are what make girls feel emotionally safe,” researchers for “Feeling Safe: What Girls Say” wrote.
January 23rd, 2009
According to a 2007 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 25 students has a food allergy; that’s up 20 percent from one in 30 students in a 1997 study.
Students with food allergies can have reactions to the allergen that range from tingling, itching and hives to anaphylaxis, a serious and rapid reaction that can lead to death.
January 19th, 2009
According to a study released by the McArthur Foundation, teens aren’t wasting time when they’re updating Facebook pages and surfing the Web. They’re learning technological and networking skills that are crucial to success as a digital citizen.
Like the real world, the virtual world can turn from friendly to ugly. Social communities can become cyber-nightmares for teens who find themselves the victims of a timeless foe: the bully.
December 15th, 2008
FERPA, or the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, gives student records protection. Parents and school officials can review a student’s grades, class schedules, and disciplinary records.
But, what if a student commits a crime? What if she has an allergic reaction and goes into shock? Can the police or medical officials have access to the student records?
November 21st, 2008
In an attempt to prevent bullying, Florida’s Broward County Schools have adopted a new district-wide anti-bullying policy that will attempt to protect both student and adult victims.
According to the Broward County Schools Website (www.browardcounty.com), the district was forming the policy before the state legislature voted on the new anti—bullying state law. Broward’s policy takes into account not only the traditional name-calling but also the bullying that occurs outside school walls. Any abusive behavior that affects students or adult employees is subject to the policy.
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