Post by pelicanguy on Mar 27, 2007 15:12:59 GMT -5
4 WDIV Detroit
School's Policy Prohibits Use Of MySpace Site
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. -- One Bloomfield Hills school is enforcing a new policy that will end the use of a popular Web site on the premises.
St. Hugo of the Hills Catholic School students were informed recently that under a new school policy, Think First, Stay Safe, the use of MySpace.com will be prohibited at school and at home.
The policy states that students enrolled in the school can't have a MySpace.com account or any similar type of personal site, according to a news release.
The Internet can be wonderful for educational material, but it also can be unsafe," principal Sr. Margaret Van Velzen said.
At the beginning of each school year, students and parents will be required to sign an Internet policy.
School officials felt it necessary to apply the new policy after recent cases of adults, some in authoritative positions, posed as minors to converse or meet with young boys and girls.
Van Velzen said the decision was made with full support from the school's parents' organization.
"Ninety-nine-point-nine percent have been very supportive, and I've received many e-mails thanking me," Van Velzen said. "Our parent community is very supportive."
St. Hugo parent Kate Lynch said it's a great start.
I think we've got a long way to go because it's a very difficult situation to grasp in its entirety," Lynch said. "There's so many things going on on the Internet and there's so much vulnerability for children."
Another St. Hugo parent, Liza Stanczak, said all schools should implement the policy.
"I think this is just the beginning of schools taking a stand against this kind of thing," Stanczak said. "I think this is going to have to happen because things are getting out of hand."
Those students who have existing MySpace.com accounts must delete them if they wish to continue going to school there. Students who do not delete their accounts cannot attend the school, Van Velzen said.
The school is hosting a meeting to launch the new policy, Think First, Stay Safe. It will be at 7 p.m. on March 27 in the school Parish Hall.
Personally, I strongly disagree with this policy. I strongly support schools dictating what students can and cannot do at school. But schools telling them what they cannot do when they get home from school...that's taking things too far, IMHO.
What next...schools telling students they can't go out on Friday nights/weekends? What goes on off campus should be monitored by parents, not schools. Looking at the report tells me that parents are not willing to step up and make sure their kids are safe when they're online at home.
School's Policy Prohibits Use Of MySpace Site
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. -- One Bloomfield Hills school is enforcing a new policy that will end the use of a popular Web site on the premises.
St. Hugo of the Hills Catholic School students were informed recently that under a new school policy, Think First, Stay Safe, the use of MySpace.com will be prohibited at school and at home.
The policy states that students enrolled in the school can't have a MySpace.com account or any similar type of personal site, according to a news release.
The Internet can be wonderful for educational material, but it also can be unsafe," principal Sr. Margaret Van Velzen said.
At the beginning of each school year, students and parents will be required to sign an Internet policy.
School officials felt it necessary to apply the new policy after recent cases of adults, some in authoritative positions, posed as minors to converse or meet with young boys and girls.
Van Velzen said the decision was made with full support from the school's parents' organization.
"Ninety-nine-point-nine percent have been very supportive, and I've received many e-mails thanking me," Van Velzen said. "Our parent community is very supportive."
St. Hugo parent Kate Lynch said it's a great start.
I think we've got a long way to go because it's a very difficult situation to grasp in its entirety," Lynch said. "There's so many things going on on the Internet and there's so much vulnerability for children."
Another St. Hugo parent, Liza Stanczak, said all schools should implement the policy.
"I think this is just the beginning of schools taking a stand against this kind of thing," Stanczak said. "I think this is going to have to happen because things are getting out of hand."
Those students who have existing MySpace.com accounts must delete them if they wish to continue going to school there. Students who do not delete their accounts cannot attend the school, Van Velzen said.
The school is hosting a meeting to launch the new policy, Think First, Stay Safe. It will be at 7 p.m. on March 27 in the school Parish Hall.
Personally, I strongly disagree with this policy. I strongly support schools dictating what students can and cannot do at school. But schools telling them what they cannot do when they get home from school...that's taking things too far, IMHO.
What next...schools telling students they can't go out on Friday nights/weekends? What goes on off campus should be monitored by parents, not schools. Looking at the report tells me that parents are not willing to step up and make sure their kids are safe when they're online at home.