From Dr. Palmer: Dear Families of Weston Students, Last week, some of our Weston Middle School students and families became aware of offensive, disturbing messages on Instagram that appeared to be directed at some students in our middle school. A select number of these messages were considered to be threatening in nature. Both the school and the Weston Police Department were contacted. The Weston Police Department did not believe that the online posts were credible threats, but continues to pursue its work to determine the author. Letters were sent home to families of the middle school informing them of the ongoing investigation, and Principal Watkins conducted class meetings with each of the grades to discuss the events and caution students about the potential risks of online tools. During this time, the threatening posts were taken down by the author. The police and school continue to investigate, but, unfortunately, in more instances than not with social media, the perpetrator may never be discovered. These kinds of events are extremely disruptive to the lives of those targeted in the posts and to our schools, as we can never assume that a threat posted online may not be a real threat. We take every threat seriously. It is our responsibility to investigate every possible threat that comes to our attention, as well as communicate these situations to the Weston Police Department. If ever you view something online that you perceive to be of a threatening nature to your child or relating to our schools, please contact the police and inform us so we can all work together to resolve the situation. Social media has transformed how the world communicates. The power to transmit messages to an endless list of contacts around the globe has increased the stakes of using these numerous one-click applications. The ability to send messages anonymously has seduced many into sharing online what they would never say publicly to others. These tools are only as worthwhile as the intentions behind the individual users. Most likely, each of us can recall an incident from our childhood where we witnessed one child saying or writing something incredibly cruel to another. Those words were not captured by a SMART phone and were typically viewed by only a limited number of eyes. Today, everything that is said or written can be instantly recorded and sent worldwide anonymously. The messages on the Internet do not fade away like forgotten words or a tattered note thrown in the garbage. A hurtful message on the Internet perseveres indefinitely. The reality of the easy access of anonymous online communication tends to decrease the risk of being held accountable for one’s actions in cyberspace. Fake usernames and disposable email addresses are created daily and then tossed aside quickly when a certain username or address draws too much negative attention. Serving as a high school principal years ago, my administrative team and I would compare handwriting samples of students to try to identify the culprit of a mean or threatening message. Today, computer fonts offer no insights to authorship. All of this open access is extremely tempting for developing students. The world of social media can quickly spin out of control for a young adolescent who yearns to be accepted by his/her peers. Indeed, it is extremely hurtful to those victims of cyber-attacks. Our role as educators is to support you as parents and to help empower your children with the knowledge about these tools so they will opt to use them productively and to understand circumstances that might be risky for them. Woven throughout our district curricula are numerous lessons on Internet safety and appropriate use. There have been parent education offerings as well, and the middle school will be hosting two parent coffees with the theme of “using social media safely” on April 1 from 10:00-11:30 a.m. and 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the middle school library. All are welcome to attend either session. Cyberbullying that intrudes into the school day is the responsibility of the schools to address. At any time, please do not hesitate to contact your school administration if you ever suspect that your child is experiencing cyberbullying in school or that the aftermath of out-of-school cyberbullying impacts the school environment. We will work with you to support an emotionally-safe learning environment for your child. Beyond the lessons in technology, we strive to focus on caring, kindness, and empathy for others. It isn’t all about the online apps; it is about working to support the positive growth of each of our students. I don’t expect that this will be the last episode that our district will experience; it is a national concern of all educators. I have encouraged our staff to curtail purely speculative student conversations in the aftermath of an online incident that might point blame without any evidence to a student or a group of students. How we handle these situations sets a tone for our students. When there is an upsetting event, we all want to know the person who caused it. However, guessing and gossip tends to create an unanticipated layer of hurt to those who are often wrongly accused behind the scenes in these kinds of situations. Weston is a caring community. Together we can help our students productively and positively navigate the world in which they exist. I am often asked to comment on Weston Public Schools when I am in other communities. My passion for our students is exemplified when I respond, “Weston Public Schools not only develops outstanding scholars, but future world leaders.” Achieving academically is essential, but thriving as caring citizens of the world completes the mission of our district. Our students can figure out the right choices in these complex matters. We will support them every step of the way. Please feel free to call on us if ever we can be of assistance to you with these issues. Sincerely, Colleen Palmer
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 02:46:38 +0000
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