From Principal Amy Watkins Weston Middle School March 5, 2014 Dear Families of Weston Students, I am writing to inform you of a situation that was recently brought to our attention at the middle school. We learned of an offensive and threatening comment made on a social media site (Instagram) viewed by our middle school students. We take all reports of this nature seriously and investigate them thoroughly. The Weston Police Department has been notified and is investigating the situation. At this time, the Police Department tells us there is no evidence of a credible threat against any student. If you should have information regarding this situation, please contact the Weston Police Department. As a school, we continue to work with our students to instill responsible use of social media tools. In February, a representative from Domestic Violence Crisis Center spoke to students and provided scenarios to help students better understand the appropriate use of social media for communication and the seriousness of misusing social media. Some of the students’ perceptions and reflections were startling. Below is a general overview of what we learned from our students. • Most students share their passwords, even though they admit it isn’t safe. • Screenshots of sensitive or private conversations are frequently forwarded to others. • Students do not have a clear understanding of what topics are appropriate for discussion through social media or text messages. • Students have difficulty identifying how to have healthy relationships via technology. • Students have difficulty anticipating consequences for how a message will be received in the absence of facial cues, body language, tone of voice and other non-verbal cues. • Students are frequently engaging in games in which they are “rating” someone. In addition, we are finalizing a date in April with the Weston Police Department to hold an informative panel to assist parents in navigating social media with their children. This is a topic that is difficult for all ages, but especially for the middle level child. Parents are encouraged to provide frequent reminders about expectations and boundaries for social media use. It is important to develop regular check-ins with your child to discuss which sites they are using and the topics being discussed. If your child receives a threat on social media (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, KickFM, Snapchat, etc.) please do not hesitate to contact the police directly in addition to notifying the school. Sincerely, Amy Dumas L. Watkins Principal
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 14:48:13 +0000
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