Halton Hills Christian School

Principal's blog...

“Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 12:18

Do you know what your children are doing on line?  Have you ever checked to see who they are talking to or even how they are communicating with each other?  I received an email this week from a parent that is really troubling me.  This parent shared that her daughter is being bullied on line by other members of her class.  Rude and hurtful comments are being written – comments that I am sure would never be spoken in the presence of their teacher or parents.  The anonymity of sitting behind a computer or using a hand held device, make it easy for kids to be rude, crude and hurtful to others. 

 We can pretend that our students would never do this, but unfortunately, we do know these things happen.  They have happened in the past and will continue to happen as long as children and young people have unsupervised and unmonitored access to on line communication.  In the “olden” days, kids used to pass notes.  Sometimes these notes were silly but I am sure we can all remember some that were hurtful and if we were the object of the note, we may even yet feel the sting. However, in the “olden” days, the teacher or parent had a chance of intersecting the notes and dealing with the offenders.  On line chats and instant messaging leave very little opportunity for the teacher or parent to intersect the communication unless it is done deliberately. 

 So parents, please be deliberate.  Please get involved with your children on-line.  Read over their shoulders, challenge them when they gossip or spread hurtful rumors.  Expect that the language and words they use in their on line chats are the same ones they would use if spoken.   Get their pass words, check their communications regularly and talk to them about acceptable on line behavior and etiquette.   Limit their amount of on line time.  Do not allow them to have Face book or communicate through instant messaging until they are old enough to understand and take responsibility for their actions.  

 Here’s some facts regarding cyber bullying:

• Nearly 42% of kids have been bullied online and almost one in four have had it happen more than once. Among this percentage, being ignored and disrespected were the most common forms of cyber bullying.
• Nine out of ten middle school students have had their feelings hurt online.
• About 75% have visited a Web site bashing another student.
• About 21% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mails.
• The psychological and emotional outcomes of cyber bullying are similar to real-life bullying outcomes, except for the reality that with cyber bullying there is often no escape. School ends at 3 p.m., while the Internet is available all the time.
• The primary cyber bullying location where victimizing occurs, at 56%, is in chat rooms.
• Girls are about twice as likely as boys to be victims and perpetrators of cyber bullying.
• About 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than four out of ten say it has happened more than once.

 We don’t have to accept these facts – we can be different but it will mean doing things differently.  We can ensure that our students and children are not participating in this on line behaviour or being hurt by others.  “Virtual communities will be better places if we live in them with our children.  We can also be aware of the spirits of the age that travel through a variety of electronic media and we can teach our children to be mindful of them.” (Robert Duiker, Christian Educator’s Journal)  Please get involved and let’s make a difference together.  Let’s teach our children the truth of scripture – reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.  May our words, both spoken and written, be wise and full of healing for each other. 

Mrs. Vangoor, Principal