Personal & Social Media Responsibilities

 If you’ve ever written a blog entry, posted a comment or reply on a website, uploaded a video to YouTube, posted a picture to Facebook, or uploaded an audio podcast, you’ve participated in personal publishing.

How many of you have a cell phone that can text, send photos, connect to the Internet? How many of you have a Facebook page or use other social media sites? - What might the response suggest about teenagers in today’s society? How much time do you spend on your favorite social networking site? - How can this be problematic? - How can this be beneficial? How many of you have posted something on another student’s social media page? Have you ever posted something that within a few hours after you made the post, you regret it or feel that it was a mistake? - If so, how did you correct that mistake? DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What information should never be posted on your or others’ social media site? – Identity, inappropriate photos, images of illegal activities, embarrassing info about others How could those postings be potentially harmful? – Damage reputations, consequences with school or the law, college admissions, potential or current employers, snap judgments, harm to self

What is bullying? – “longstanding violence, physical or psychological, conducted by an individual or group directed against an individual who is not able to defend himself in the actual situation” What is cyberbullying? – “Cyberbullying is willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones and other electronic devices.” Why can cyberbullying be more dangerous than traditional bullying? – Never ceases – Posts can happen at all hours of the day – Number of bullies multiply online

Don’t post or send anything that can cause you or anyone embarrassment. Don’t become involved in online complaining or arguments or reply when you’re angry. Avoid being guilty by association. If a group photo or posts are of illegal or immoral behavior, you may be associated with that group. Check your “friend” list and remove those that are only acquaintances. Don’t overshare information. Set strong privacy settings so your information is accessible only to those you want to have access to it. Search yourself online and remove information you don’t want others to see. Post information and images of you participating in school sponsored or community events. Maintain a low profile. Don’t damage your integrity and reputation you’ve spent a lifetime building up with a damaging image or posting.

I can embarrass myself or my family. Irreparable damage can be done to my reputation. A college admission counselor may see the posting and deny my admission. A potential employer may see a posting and deny me an employment opportunity. I may lose friends. I may suffer in-school consequences from posting immoral or illegal images or text. Another person may be humiliated by a posting or comments about a posting. In the worst case, a person may be so humiliated or tormented by postings and texts that the individual may see no other alternative but to cause themself bodily harm. TAM

 Cell phones and any other electronic devices are not permitted in the building.  Students must carry a school ID and program card at all times (even outside the building).  This is a CLOSED CAMPUS! Students can not leave the building unless authorized or finished with their classes for the day.  Here are some additional items that are not permitted in the building as well: “Beads, bandanas, Du-Rags, ski masks, inappropriate words, pictures or slogan on clothing, chains, glass bottles, skateboards, bicycles, skates, dice, markers, any sporting equipment that is not school based.”

 Fighting and disrupting the orderly operation of school activities.  Engaging in physical assault and/or sexual assault against students or staff.  Recklessly endangering students and/or staff.  Possessing or using a weapon or a laser light.  Engaging in theft of personal or school property.  Engaging in cheating or plagiarizing.  Ringing a false alarm or engaging in acts of arson.  Vandalism to school property or property of students or staff, e.g. graffiti.  Gambling, possessing, selling, or distributing alcohol or drugs.  Engaging in sexual harassment or making inappropriate/offensive comments (slurs against racial/ethnic groups, religious groups, the disabled, those of another gender or sexual orientation).  Using force against or attempting to inflict injury upon school personnel.  Involvement in off-school premises behavior which presents a danger to the health, safety, morals or welfare of the school community or a nexus to the school community.  Selling of non-school fundraising candy or other items is prohibited. 

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