In November of 2009, Pottsgrove High School located in Pottstown, PA, experienced the tragic deaths of two students in an automobile accident. The social and emotional impact of these sudden deaths, and the subsequent conversations with students, led the administration to seek novel ways to offer support to students and their friends who are experiencing barriers to learning, such as drug, alcohol or mental health issues.
The High School principal had seen a video showcasing a preventative tool employed by stadiums, which encouraged fans to text in to a central command for assistance with crowd control or unruly behavior. In light of recent events, he began to think of its application in education and in specifically addressing the needs of our school. The company (http://www.guestassist.net/) delivers mobile phone-based communications that allow an enterprise, such as a school, to interact with their students.
While cell phones use in class is against their school policy, a “technology zone” was established in the cafeteria where students are permitted to use their phones during lunch. With the implementation of this system, a cutting-edge technology commonly utilized on college campuses, students have communicated via text to the operators (school administration and a few select teachers) about bullying, various concerns about their friends, and knowledge of drug use. Signs and video news bulletins have been circulating through this particular high school with the following message:
CONCERNED? Text “Falcons” and your concern to 78247
Students are encouraged to text message concerns relating to bullying, possible drug and alcohol abuse, self-injury, and other topics that may hinder student learning. All text messages are filtered into a website that is consistently monitored by trained teachers and administrators. Students receive a message in return thanking them for their concern, asking for more specific details, or in cases deemed urgent, asked to report to an administrator or counselor for support. Incoming information is then passed on to school personnel who can best provide assistance to the student.
In the first month of operation, the Falcon Assist has provided supports to at least a dozen students. It’s great to see that students care and have concern for their peers!
The school is now asking for our parents to help provide support to their students by utilizing the text messaging service. “If you feel your son/daughter or their friends are in need of assistance, then please text “Falcons” and your concern to 78247.”
The system is simple yet powerful, as it allows for anonymous communication, has a web-based control system for easy access and the ability to tag conversations for future reports based on type of concern or issue.
I'm looking forward to my interview this Thursday with Chris Schaffer, the principal of Pottsgrove High School, who is the genius behind the system's implementation.
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Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Sextortion: An Online Predator's New Favorite Form of Extortion
Sextortion; a new term and a growing concern to watch out for.
Sextortion occurs when a person uses guilt, power, or knowledge of a certain secret, to force another person into providing sexually explicit photos, having sex or performing sexual favors.
Sextortion is one of the “crimes of choice” that Internet predators use to gain access into their targets personal life. Predators generally target teens or young adults on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.
Predators who practice sextortion pressure their victims to give them sexually explicit photos and/or favors in exchange for their secrecy of previously obtained private information or for a promise to hold off on future violent acts.
Take the Sextortion case that happened in the Milwaukee area with Anthony Stancl, an 18-year-old former New Berlin high school student who is serving 15 years in prison for sextortion. Anthony, an honor student, got more than 30 boys to send him naked photos of themselves …by posing as a female on Facebook. He then blackmailed several boys into sexual acts by threatening to share those pornographic images if they said “no.”
Throughout 2010, there have been ongoing acts of sextortion occurring at universities across the country. A predator preys on sorority pledges by first studying their Facebook profile and then approaches them using Facebook, pretending to be a sorority sister or an alum from their college. The first communications seem harmless to unsuspecting freshman, yet are obvious attempts to gain trust. Subsequent Facebook chats and e-mails get creepy, with requests for naked pictures, followed by threats to reveal secrets and commit violent acts. The dozen or so victims to date attend southwest schools: University of Florida, Florida State University, Auburn University, University of Alabama and Louisiana State University. So far, several college students have actually provided their assailant with naked photos.
Teens and young adults need to understand that when they take these types of photographs... or if they turn on their web camera for strangers, the person on the receiving end can easily record, and spread the information anywhere they choose, or else.
For more information about how to parent around today's technology, visit: http://www.shawnedgington.com/.
Sextortion occurs when a person uses guilt, power, or knowledge of a certain secret, to force another person into providing sexually explicit photos, having sex or performing sexual favors.
Sextortion is one of the “crimes of choice” that Internet predators use to gain access into their targets personal life. Predators generally target teens or young adults on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.
Predators who practice sextortion pressure their victims to give them sexually explicit photos and/or favors in exchange for their secrecy of previously obtained private information or for a promise to hold off on future violent acts.
Take the Sextortion case that happened in the Milwaukee area with Anthony Stancl, an 18-year-old former New Berlin high school student who is serving 15 years in prison for sextortion. Anthony, an honor student, got more than 30 boys to send him naked photos of themselves …by posing as a female on Facebook. He then blackmailed several boys into sexual acts by threatening to share those pornographic images if they said “no.”
Throughout 2010, there have been ongoing acts of sextortion occurring at universities across the country. A predator preys on sorority pledges by first studying their Facebook profile and then approaches them using Facebook, pretending to be a sorority sister or an alum from their college. The first communications seem harmless to unsuspecting freshman, yet are obvious attempts to gain trust. Subsequent Facebook chats and e-mails get creepy, with requests for naked pictures, followed by threats to reveal secrets and commit violent acts. The dozen or so victims to date attend southwest schools: University of Florida, Florida State University, Auburn University, University of Alabama and Louisiana State University. So far, several college students have actually provided their assailant with naked photos.
- Out of the people who report sharing nude photos of themselves, almost a third of them have shared the photos with people they only know online ... or with people they've never met face-to-face.
Teens and young adults need to understand that when they take these types of photographs... or if they turn on their web camera for strangers, the person on the receiving end can easily record, and spread the information anywhere they choose, or else.
For more information about how to parent around today's technology, visit: http://www.shawnedgington.com/.
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