NEWSDAY IN EDUCATION
Multimedia Program
| Use the power of the DAILY NEWSPAPER, TELEVISION NEWS and RADIO PROGRAMS to improve English Language Arts Skills. |
This week's
Multimedia Lesson
Childhood Dangers
Multimedia Lesson
Childhood Dangers
| Senator tackles cyberbullying in classrooms BY LAURA ALBANESE | Special to Newsday November 6, 2007 Cyberbullying - when children or teens harass others their own age using computers or digital devices - is a growing epidemic affecting children as young as 9, state Sen. Craig Johnson told students at Powell's Lane Elementary School in Westbury yesterday. Johnson (D-Port Washington), who is touring elementary and middle schools throughout North Hempstead and Hempstead towns, greeted fourth- and fifth-grade classes to talk about what he said has become an increasing concern for parents and administrators nationwide. "A lot of people have come up to me to talk about their kids ... and even at fourth grade, they're exposed," he said. About 34 percent of students have experienced some form of harassment through the Internet, text-messaging, or other digital devices by the time they reach high school, according to one study of about 1,400 teenage students. Johnson said his presentation is part of a larger effort to require elementary and middle schools to make learning about cyberbullying part of the curriculum and to create a dialogue with parents. Johnson plans to introduce legislation to that effect in the Senate in January, his spokeswoman said. Fourth-grader Miracle Bennett, 9, who heard about cyberbullying from a TV talk show, said Johnson's presentation was "very interesting." "I think it's really dangerous if you don't know how to take care of a problem carefully," she said. Cyberbullying is not confined to adolescents, said Beverly Reilly, a guidance counselor at Powell's Lane, which runs its own Bullying Prevention Program. As children become computer-savvy at younger ages, she said, cyberbullying has spread to the preteen set. "It's been a problem since the kids have had [Internet] access and thought they were anonymous," Reilly said. "The kids aren't always aware that it's bullying." At times, Johnson said, the bullying might seem innocuous - gossiping or forwarding a private e-mail - but it can turn dangerous as kids get older. One of the worst forms of cyberbullying, cyberstalking, can quickly escalate and put a child's safety at risk, he said. Johnson urged the students, almost all of whom said they have access to a computer at home, to tell their parents when they feel threatened online and not to be shy about blocking messages from harassing friends. More than half of those who have been cyberbullied have been victimized by people they considered friends, Johnson said. Alyssa Allen, 9, who raised her hand to answer several questions, said although she never has experienced cyberbullying herself, she has seen its effects. A friend was cyberbullied when a secret she told in a private online chat was spread around to others, Alyssa said. Feeling ostracized, the girl asked her parents to change schools, Alyssa said. "My mom's been talking about it," Alyssa said, adding that talking about cyberbullying "was a very good thing so [kids] can feel safe when they're on the computer." |
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the Crossword Puzzle. 5. Printout and Complete the Pre-Writing Outline. 6.Listen to the NPR radio. THEN WRITE A NEW YORK STATE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STYLE ESSAY. |