Newsfrom the health, security, safety and environment (hsse)

H i g h S c h o o l N E W S
Freedom From Chemical Dependency
As part of the development of the High School Pastoral
Programme in recent years we have invited various individuals
and groups to come and visit the High School to speak about
pertinent issues. We are pleased to advise you that on Friday 6th
March visitors from a group called ‘Freedom From Chemical
Dependency’ will be visiting the school and meeting with each
of the grade levels. Nurse Melhus has outlined more details in
her section of the Informer.
Online safety
Earlier in the month Ms Wallace and I sent out a communication
alerting parents to the potential dangers in using the internet
at home and school and I thought it pertinent to extend the
discussion a little further in this edition of the Informer.
There are very few people in our community who are not
’connected’ through one form of electronic communication
equipment or another. A mobile phone isn’t just a phone
anymore. With texting, cameras, and web capacities, there are
many ways to send and receive information. Instant messaging
has almost superseded email, and chat rooms, blogs (electronic
diaries) and multi-purpose online services are the ‘must use’
now.
In this dizzying environment of digital possibilities it is
essential that teachers and parents are ‘digitally literate’ too,
and keenly aware of the potential for misuse of technology.
This has been increasingly highlighted in the local press, many
educational and family guidance websites, and for good reason
with cyberbullying and digital predation being two of the main
problems.
A cyberbully is defined as “anyone who repeatedly misuses
technology to harass, intimidate, bully or terrorize another
person. Such behavior usually takes the form of inappropriate
and hurtful rumors or threats sent through e-mails, instant
messages, text messages, or Web site posts, with the sender
often anonymous or disguised as someone else.” Victims and
bystanders are reluctant to admit or report these actions until
they are desperate enough to involve adults. Cyberbullies will
often have more than one victim and will continue until they
get caught.
It is worth remembering though, that no computer or mobile
phone and therefore no person is really anonymous in
cyberspace. People tend to have the impression that everything
that happens in cyberspace is temporary and fleeting, but
the truth is that communication in cyberspace leaves a trail.
Cyberspace reaches far and wide and deep in to the hard drives
of individual computers in classrooms and private homes. More
important, behaviors in cyberspace (yes, words are deeds) are
downloadable, printable, and sometimes punishable by law.
While technology serves to connect people and connect them
almost instantly, it also has reduced the ‘think time’ between
an idea, opinion or action and confidentiality or privacy. In
the case of an email or text message, once sent it is out of the
sender’s control and can be passed on to anyone, anywhere.
The forum of a chat room broadens the audience with limited
control of the recipients/participants and blogs, by their very
nature, are open to anyone and everyone. You may have to ‘join’
by submitting a few details but essentially all communications
or postings are public domain, and these days, public doesn’t
mean local, it means global! The sender’s data can make appear
to be older or younger than they are.
Chat rooms and other online services have been created to
increase the spontaneity of communication. Along with this
came the possibility of creating new or alternate identities
through the choice of names, or profiles. Our young adolescents
are attracted to these forms of communication and they certainly
can be fun – however, there are increasing numbers of cases
of cyber bullying incidents as well as an increasing number of
‘digital predators’ using chat rooms and the online services to
identify and ‘stalk’ or ‘groom’ their victims.
So what can adults do to prevent and address cyber bullying?
Adults seldom are present in the online environments frequented
by children and youth. Therefore, it is extremely important that
adults pay close attention to the cyber bullying and the activities
of children and youth when using these new technologies.
suggestions for parents and tips to help prevent cyber
bullying include:
Keep your home computer(s) in easily viewable places, such
as a family room or kitchen.
8 · The In f o r m e r 18 fe b r u a ry 2009 www.isstavanger.no
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Talk regularly with your child about on-line activities he or
she is involved in.
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Talk specifically about cyber bullying and encourage
your child to tell you immediately if he or she is the
victim of cyber bullying, cyberstalking, or other illegal
or troublesome on-line behavior.
Encourage your child to tell you if he or she is aware of
others who may be the victims of such behavior.
Explain that cyber bullying is harmful and
unacceptable behavior. Outline your expectations for
responsible online behavior and make it clear that there
will be consequences for inappropriate behavior.
Although adults must respect the privacy of children and
youth, concerns for your child’s safety may sometimes
override these privacy concerns. Tell your child that you
may review his or her on-line communications if you think
there is reason for concern.
Consider installing parental control filtering software and/
or tracking programs, but don’t rely solely on these tools.