Online Dangers Pose Risks

Petaluma Argus-Courier (Petaluma, CA): Middle-school and high-school students are among the most active users of the Internet, as well as the most likely to put themselves in harm's way. "Teens see themselves as invincible, so safety concerns don't cross their radar," said Nancy Sieck, library media teacher at Petaluma High School. A recent study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project showed that 87 percent of young people aged 12 to 17 use the Internet, and that more than half of them create online content which often includes personal information. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention reported that between 2004 and 2005, its national Internet Crimes Against Children program saw an 84 percent rise in complaints that predators enticed minors on-line or traveled to meet them. Parents, teachers and librarians (and some school counselors) are among those attempting to teach children safe online practices, but many people feel that not nearly enough is being done to successfully address the escalating problem. Students should be given guidance in fourth or fifth grade, and by the time they reach middle school, they should have developed a sense of responsibility and the knowledge that what they put on the Internet goes out to people they're unaware of.
[Personal commentary: When I was at the elementary level, having a unit on internet safety was part of my classroom guidance, and it should be a part of your classroom guidance if you're at the elementary level because kids are way too technically savvy by the time they reach us at the middle school. Prepare them before they get to us, please.]