Week 10 - Sexting

When I went to school (which wasn't that long ago), cell phones were not permitted.  If you were caught with them, they were confiscated and the owner (usually your parents) was given them back at the end of the school day.  This policy protects the schools from litigation that I feel should be mandatory for all school districts.  Allowing cell phones on school grounds does nothing but open a school for liability. 

By that same point, it is irresponsible for a school to look the other way and ignore that their students have cell phones.  By that reasoning, I feel it is the responsibility of the school to educate the students that there ARE consequences for their actions when using technology.  Unfortunately, the invincibility that most teenagers feel prevent them from realizing the severity of their actions.  They think that every relationship will last forever, they think that every secret they tell their friends is safe, they think that they can drive recklessly without consequence.  They need to be educated that you can be killed in a car crash, you can become the subject of ridicule and you can even be registered as a sex offender if you are found sending inappropriate photos of yourself or your friends.
 
However, the final responsibility does fall with parents.  Jesse Logan's mother's outrage at the school's lack of involvement with her daughter, and primarily the police officer who did not notify her of this video dissemination.  The officer has no right to tell the parent if the child is 18 or older.  Unfortunately in this technological world where any information is available instantly it becomes even more important for parents to be aware of what their children are doing socially, especially if your child is 18 at which point parents are no longer required to be contacted by authorities. 

So overall, it's not the responsbility of the school to regulate children's use of technology (that falls upon parental discretion).  Yet, they should educate students of the many dangers that come with technology.  As much as we feel the schools can affect the situation, they really can't (they can even ban cell phones and cyberbullying will still happen).  So in the end, as a parent, if you allow your child to use the internet or have a cell phone, you need to have rules in place to regulate the usage (regardless if your child feels like their privacy is being invaded).  Unfortunately, bullying has now become much more personal and instant in this day and age and we must all work together to help today's youth understand the dangers that are out there.  SCHAMA SIGNING OFF.