This week's safe schools snippets

Schools look for best ideas to protect kids on Internet

As Colorado schools embrace iPads and other take-home technology, some are taking distinctly different approaches to a key question: Who’s responsible for online activity on school-issued devices once they leave the filtered safety of the campus? Read more in the Denver Post. 

Teens have fewer behavioral issues when parents stay involved

When parents of middle school students participate in school-based, family interventions, it can reduce problem behavior, according to new research released online in the Journal of Adolescent Health. Read more in Newswise.

Where to turn when bullied

Every day in schools all across the country a student is the victim of bullying. As reported by national media the bullying some students endure is at times so severe that it results in suicide.

According to www.bullyingstatistics.org approximately 160,000 students in the nation miss school every day out of fear of being bullied. From statistics they gathered in 2010 at least 2.7 million students are bullied each year and another 2.1 million students take on the role of a bully. That means one in seven students in K-12 either is a bully or has been the victim of a bully. Read more in Our Colorado News. 

Bullied student reaches $100,000 settlement with Wash. school district

The Aberdeen School District has agreed to pay $100,000 to a former student who said he endured severe and persistent harassment throughout junior high and high school and that school officials were made aware of it but did nothing to end it. Read more in the Seattle Times. 

Incident sparks safety discussions between parents and children

PUEBLO, Colo. — A man accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 9-year-old will make his first court appearance Monday.

29-year-old Jose Garcia faces charges after allegedly taking the girl while she walked home from school Thursday afternoon in Pueblo.

What’s amazing is how the girl escaped Friday morning almost 18 hours after her abduction. Check out this report. 

No Name-Calling Week wraps up

Common Sense Media’s parenting editor shares 7 Rules for Online Etiquette that help teach kids to create a safer environment on the Internet. Read them here.

 

About our First Person series:

First Person is where Chalkbeat features personal essays by educators, students, parents, and others trying to improve public education. Read our submission guidelines here.