Shocker: School Boards Notice That The Internet Isn't Dangerous

from the about-time dept

Wed, Aug 8th 2007 3:09pm — Mike Masnick

While Congress has been busy rushing through all sorts of legislation to try to ban social networks from school in the name of protecting the children, it seems that they never bothered to ask schools what they thought of the internet and social networks. Instead, as politicians are known to do, they simply took the sensational headlines about the supposed "threat" of social networks as if it must be true (or, at least, as if it were the perfect opportunity for some grandstanding). However, someone who prefers to remain anonymous has passed on the news that the National School Boards Association has put out a report noting that fears concerning students on the internet are greatly exaggerated and that social networks can be quite positive for children. In surveying students, they found that most students understand the message that they should be wary of strangers online (just as they should be when walking down the street). They know not to reveal too much and they know not to go meet strangers without permission. Sure, there will always be a few exceptions, but it's very rare. Based on this, the report says that it makes sense for schools to explore more constructive uses of social networks in educational settings, rather than worrying so much about locking them down. Of course, if some folks in Congress have their way, that won't be possible.

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Filed Under: internet, schools, social networks

13 Comments

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Casper, 8 Aug 2007 @ 3:28pm

...
We are trying to make the world so safe that natural selection can't do it's job. Parents need to be responsible for raising smarter kids, rather then all the kids being punished by losing access to the internet.

Finally they are coming around and realizing that the internet isn't the danger, but rather the poor parenting of those kids who get them selves into trouble.
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zcat, 8 Aug 2007 @ 3:35pm

Kids photos on the web...
I was recently contacted by someone from the Ministry of Education asking about a FLOSS CD I used to maintain. It's 8 months since I last updated it so I referred them to OpenCD..

The guy also made some (imho rather creepy) comments about having Cairo's picture on the website; apparently there are pedophiles about who search the web for photos of children.

Later that same afternoon while I was helping Destiny do her paper run I noticed that the front page photo was two local children (full names in the caption) helping clean up a nearby gully. But that's OK because everybody knows pedophiles don't read newspapers.
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Anonymous, 8 Aug 2007 @ 3:40pm

I couldn't agree more, Casper. Especially love that first statement. Parents try to let their kids grow up on their own which isn't wrong, but they either do it too quickly or they basically say, "There is no way of getting 'round the mountain; it's our (or my) way or no way at all."

Unfortunately, I doubt that this is going to change Congress' minds about it; they play too much on children safety and education. Not to mention there's probably some God-forsaken lobbying arm at the works in a situation like this.

Welcome to America.

"'You are free to do as we tell you!'" - Bill Hicks on the American gov't, "Revelations"
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GoblinJuice, 8 Aug 2007 @ 4:23pm

Eh.
Everything said about the net can be said about guns.

If this statement doesn't make sense to you, move along. =D
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- |333173|3|_||3, 8 Aug 2007 @ 9:34pm
  
  Re: Eh.
  You cannot use the internet for anything that you might use a gun for, except grandstanding or bluffing, nor can you use a gun for most things you use the interent for (IP over bullet?).
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Concernedpoliticians, 8 Aug 2007 @ 4:33pm

Ban public.
The dangers of children meeting strangers out on the streets is of extreme concern! There are children dying out there every second. I motion to ban all streets in the U.S. All in favor say aye.
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- John Duncan Yoyo, 8 Aug 2007 @ 5:10pm
  
  Re: Ban public.
  Yep, No going outside ever. We should just ban streets, railroads and paths and be done with it.
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- Anonymous Coward, 8 Aug 2007 @ 6:50pm
  
  Re: Ban public.
  aye
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Aug 2007 @ 5:18pm

C'mon you guys! Politicians grandstanding? Never.

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Sanguine Dream, 8 Aug 2007 @ 8:06pm

I just don't get it...
Why hasn't anyone banned kids from going out in public at all without adult supervision yet. Oh yeah pedophiles only use the internet to stalk kids, bullying just started when the internet caught on (cyberbullying...lol), and in general all crime can be traced back to the internet.

Way to go on that whole, "protect the children" thing Congress.
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- Anonymous Coward, 9 Aug 2007 @ 3:27am
  
  Re: I just don't get it...
  Why not just ban children? Just think about the film Children of Men - no paedophiles, no children watching porn, no teachers being shamed about how shit their teaching abilities are. It must be great!!!!
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alan p, 8 Aug 2007 @ 11:25pm

But they would say that, wouldn't they...
MSFT and News Int'l funded the study...hmmmm............
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C Tvarok, 15 Apr 2008 @ 7:43am

web 2.0
Thank you for the information. I found it very useful. My fifth grade students are writing a persuasive essay about the use of Web 2.0 tools in the classroom. The topic has sparked great interest in students and teachers alike!
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