New Jersey Senator: New Internet Safety Program Needed
Parents who are concerned about their children’s safety on the Internet might find what they are looking for in New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez. He recently presented a proposal that will hopefully beef up efforts in ensuring the safety of children online.
One thing that I like about his proposal is how it is targeted not only at the school children but at parents and teachers as well. The proposal involves a grant that is to be given over a four-year period. If approved, the grant will make available $25 to $35 million each year for the purposes of research and the implementation of Internet safety programs. These grants will be given on a two-year basis, and the Department of Justice will be the body overseeing the awarding of the grants.
Philly.com has a report on this story:
Menendez discussed his proposal Friday at the George Washington Middle School in Ridgewood, one of the first in the state to start a peer-to-peer program called Teenangels, in which 13- to 18-year-old volunteers spread the word about safe Internet surfing practices.
“The Internet is a powerful tool and can be a dangerous one,” Menendez said after the presentation about cyber safety to 200 students. “I don’t think young people are doing it (sexting) to be pornographic, but they are making a terrible mistake. What they need is counseling, parental intervention and education.”
Prosecutors in many states are struggling with how to deal with teens who engage racy online behavior, including sending explicit photos over their phones , so-called “sexting.” Their actions technically amount to distribution of child pornography, a charge that could carry severe, lifelong penalties.
This is a complicated and sensitive matter, to say the least. I understand what Menendez is saying about young people not meaning to be pornographic and not thinking that they could find themselves in serious trouble by sending explicit images of themselves via the Internet. This does not mean, however, that we should not intervene through proper guidance. While I see that some people might conceive such ideas as being prudish, I think that teenagers should be made to see the dangers that they are opening themselves up to.
These grants are going to cost us a lot of money, but if it can help point a teenager to the right direction, it is well worth the cost. Again, I cannot help but emphasize the important role that parents are going to have to play here. Otherwise, things just might come to naught.
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Posted on April 27th, 2009 by Deborah J Thomas
Filed under: Administrators, High School, Internet, News, Parents, People Involved, Predators, School Safety Issues, Students
Excellent source of information. Keep up the good work!