BeSafe in CyberSpace!
Our children and teens are racing down the Information Superhighway, but many educators and parents feel left behind in the dust. We hear news stories about online sexual predators, child pornography, cyberbullies, hate groups, gaming addiction, and even students impersonating teachers online. The dangers that lurk in the online world make us feel increasingly concerned about what our children are doing (and with whom) in cyberspace.
Keeping Kids Safe
A nasty rumor spreads through school with lightning speed. A bully’s taunt reaches its target instantly. A young teen is caught “sexting”— sending sexually explicit images or words over a cell phone. Today, kids no longer have to wait to get to a desktop computer to see and hear all the latest gossip. It’s right in their hands, on their cell phones, mobile email devices and handheld computers, giving them the ability to take and send pictures and videos and instantly access social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Keeping kids safe in a high-speed world is a daunting task.
12 & 13 Year Old Girls Arrested
Here's a real life example of what can happen and how serious this can be. In Hood County Texas on July 18, 2012 two girls were arrested and charged with third-degree felony charges of online impersonation. Investigators said the girls set up a Facebook page posing as another classmate and used it for two months to bully her and ruin her reputation among other students. This entire tragedy might have been avoided had the girls received the proper CyberSpace Training and understood what the potential consequences can be.
Texas has tough laws against online impersonation and harassment. After a series of nationally publicized bullying cases, state lawmakers in 2009 made it a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
BeSafe in CyberSpace Training Series
We provide an essential approach to education. By teaching students, staff and parents simultaneously, we see a change in thinking which results in a change of behavior. That is the key to keeping your kids safe online. By encompassing all three aspects of a teen or pre-teen’s world (home, school and self-government) we find a greater incidence of real behavior change.
We offer specific Training Series for Middle School, Jr. High School, High School, Teachers and Parents. Each Series was professionally recorded from Mark's live presentations. Fast-paced, interactive and entertaining, kids parents and teachers can learn the same material presented in an engaging manner for each audience. The greatest influence a parent or educator can have over a student regarding cybersafety is to engage with them about what they are doing online. The more kids and adults are on the same page the more effective communication can be. We encourage parents and teachers to use the material from the presentations to have a discussion with their kids about these topics.
We Change Thinking Which Results in a Change of Behavior.
