Should kids be taught 'Internet safety' in schools?

[mjh]

Can kids be taught to avoid dangers on the Internet while also taking full advantage of all of the good things available online? The State of Virginia, for one, thinks that classroom instruction will work.

In one of the first efforts of its kind in the US, Virginia has launched a program for "Internet safety" in schools.

"Today's student will be the first generation to use the Internet for their entire lives. This unprecedented access to resouces will enhance their learning, research, communications, explorations for new ideas, and expressions of creativity. [But] unfortunately, this remarkable resource has [also] become susceptible to abuse that often targets young people," according to the new program's implementation guidelines.

Click here to read the rest of the article

Your thoughts on this? I figure if the parents don't feel responsible to teach their children how to be safe on the Internet, somebody has to do it.

But who will teach the teachers about the Internet?

Parents, would you be okay if the school decided to begin teaching your children about basic Internet safety?

 

[l0cke]

Currently the only internet safety that is taught at my school is never to use wikipedia for anything ever, not even pictures.

Of course everyone still does

 

[OrganizedChaos]

As long as the students know they know more about technology than the teachers you can't expect them to take any lessons seriously.

 

[sandorski]

Sounds like a good idea.

 

[jackschmittusa]

When I was in grade school in the 50s, they taught all kinds of safety stuff. Everything from crossing the street (and obeying the Patrol Boys) to Halloween safety, storm safety, to nuke attack safety.

Never heard it was bad to teach us. Can't imagine there is a downside to teaching internet safety.

 

[schmedy]

I am all for any type of safety teaching going on, but the real people who should be teaching safety is parents. This shouldn't be another thing parents try to sluff off and then blame others when kids have issues.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

I figure if the parents don't feel responsible to teach their children how to be safe on the Internet, somebody has to do it.

This type of attitude is what has produced our 2nd rate education system we have today. The school is NOT there to teach everything - it's there to teach reading, writing and math. These distractions the schools keep adding into the curriculum has ruined the public school system.

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: jackschmittusa
When I was in grade school in the 50s, they taught all kinds of safety stuff. Everything from crossing the street (and obeying the Patrol Boys) to Halloween safety, storm safety, to nuke attack safety.

Never heard it was bad to teach us. Can't imagine there is a downside to teaching internet safety.

/agree

it wasn't part of the regular daily curriculum, but a couple times a year, we'd have assemblies or devote a gym period to stuff like that. I don't really see the harm in it.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY

I figure if the parents don't feel responsible to teach their children how to be safe on the Internet, somebody has to do it.

This type of attitude is what has produced our 2nd rate education system we have today. The school is NOT there to teach everything - it's there to teach reading, writing and math. These distractions the schools keep adding into the curriculum has ruined the public school system.

Actually a lot has been taken away from the curriculum with NCLB.

They teach to a test instead of broad knowledge.

NCLB has done more damage to the public school system than anything else in history.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY

I figure if the parents don't feel responsible to teach their children how to be safe on the Internet, somebody has to do it.

This type of attitude is what has produced our 2nd rate education system we have today. The school is NOT there to teach everything - it's there to teach reading, writing and math. These distractions the schools keep adding into the curriculum has ruined the public school system.

Actually a lot has been taken away from the curriculum with NCLB.

They teach to a test instead of broad knowledge.

NCLB has done more damage to the public school system than anything else in history.

:roll: You people are insane. If a teacher has to teach the test, then they aren't doing their job. If the standardized tests suggest you need to know X by the end of third grade, then don't you think the 3rd grade teacher should be teaching X anyway?

 

[Uhtrinity]

I teach internet safety in my lab. It basically boils down to not giving out personal information, and how to ovoid viruses and spyware. As far as curriculum, computer lab for 1st through 8th grade isn't dictated by NCLB, so I write my own curriculum with the administrators approval. I try to teach my kids to be computer literate.

 

[Uhtrinity]

I also regularly give out advice to kids and parents about myspace, bebo, and facebook, and have personally helped kids delete their accounts (on request).

 

[Uhtrinity]

Originally posted by: OrganizedChaos
As long as the students know they know more about technology than the teachers you can't expect them to take any lessons seriously.

I can't wait for the day when I have students who can challenge me

 

[jackschmittusa]

CADsortaGUY

Teaching about computers in school is is a given, just as they taught us the Dewey Decimal System to better use the library in my day.

Teaching about internet safety seems no different than the shop safety lessons we had before they let us loose in woodshop.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: jackschmittusa
CADsortaGUY

Teaching about computers in school is is a given, just as they taught us the Dewey Decimal System to better use the library in my day.

Teaching about internet safety seems no different than the shop safety lessons we had before they let us loose in woodshop.

I understand that. I have no problem with them teaching BASIC internet safety in a computer lab/class, what I question is this "need" to try to teach everything to everyone. There is no reason a school should be getting into all these other areas when they are failing at the basics...

 

[Uhtrinity]

Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY

Originally posted by: jackschmittusa
CADsortaGUY

Teaching about computers in school is is a given, just as they taught us the Dewey Decimal System to better use the library in my day.

Teaching about internet safety seems no different than the shop safety lessons we had before they let us loose in woodshop.

I understand that. I have no problem with them teaching BASIC internet safety in a computer lab/class, what I question is this "need" to try to teach everything to everyone. There is no reason a school should be getting into all these other areas when they are failing at the basics...

You assume wrong that all schools are failing in the basics.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: Uhtrinity
You assume wrong that all schools are failing in the basics.

I assume that as a whole, our system is failing. Are there good schools? yes. Are there horrible schools? yes. This is a whole different topic that I could go on and on about though(and have in the past).

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: OrganizedChaos
As long as the students know they know more about technology than the teachers you can't expect them to take any lessons seriously.

Yes teachers are woefully behind the times when it comes to technology. But as a parent this is one of the areas that I feel I need to be in control of. My children use the internet in my home and will understand (more so as they get older) the dangers of the internet.

I just worry about them going over to friends houses where the parents either don't monitor usage or do not know how to filter out the bad stuff.

 

[RightIsWrong]

Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY

I figure if the parents don't feel responsible to teach their children how to be safe on the Internet, somebody has to do it.

This type of attitude is what has produced our 2nd rate education system we have today. The school is NOT there to teach everything - it's there to teach reading, writing and math. These distractions the schools keep adding into the curriculum has ruined the public school system.

Actually a lot has been taken away from the curriculum with NCLB.

They teach to a test instead of broad knowledge.

NCLB has done more damage to the public school system than anything else in history.

:roll: You people are insane. If a teacher has to teach the test, then they aren't doing their job. If the standardized tests suggest you need to know X by the end of third grade, then don't you think the 3rd grade teacher should be teaching X anyway?

You lack of knowledge on the subject is amazing. Even high ranking schools in the best neighborhoods are being instructed from the school administration to do just this very thing.

NCLB has threatened the very life support of school districts (funding) unless the students are able to pass this thing. The premise is stupid. Instead of teaching the students to be well rounded and teaching them concepts that are beyond the basics, they have to have x% at a certain level of proficiency or lose money. The natural thought process? Beat them over the head with crap that is a grade level behind where they should be instead of trying to teach them stuff that is a grade level ahead of where they should be so that our education system as a whole is better than 18th out of 24 industrialized countries.

 

[DukeN]

No, doing that would expose children to the negativity on the internet, as well as condone and encourage participation in such activities. Forget the gain in individual safety (see sex education). <end rant>

 

[Mursilis]

Originally posted by: schmedy
I am all for any type of safety teaching going on, but the real people who should be teaching safety is parents. This shouldn't be another thing parents try to sluff off and then blame others when kids have issues.

What schmedy said.

 

[jonks]

Originally posted by: l0cke
Currently the only internet safety that is taught at my school is never to use wikipedia for anything ever, not even pictures.

Of course everyone still does

You shouldn't rely on wikipedia as your only source, just as you shouldn't rely only on one book or one newspaper article. Yet wiki has independently been found to be about as accurate as Britannica. http://www.news.com/2100-1038_3-5997332.html

 

[piasabird]

Nothing wrong with teaching a little common sense. In most schools they use filtering software.

 

[ericlp]

Is this before or after the learn how to put on and use a condom correctly?

Yes, they should be aware and I am sure most of them are... Same rule as don't talk to strangers and don't get into people's cars that you don't know... The list goes on, why not add a few lines for internet awareness?

 

[l0cke]

Originally posted by: ericlp
Is this before or after the learn how to put on and use a condom correctly?

Oh no, at my school (the same one that says never use wiki) parents are complaining because our health program reveals to much. Like having pictures of penises in health books.

I mean seriously, if you are in high school and you don't know where to stick your organs in order to produce babies, maybe it is better off that you never learn at all.

I should also mention that putting condoms over bananas was found to be "too graphic" by a parent teacher school board.