Dear DSU Members and Friends,
My kids often share with me that "I am a day late and a dollar short"....that's my interpretation, theirs is much more harsh. Thankfully my two and two hundred more at the DSU are willing to get me up to speed on a daily basis on current trends, pop culture and social networking sites, such as Facebook.
I've had a Facebook account for over three years and must admit there are some clever applications within it. I have enjoyed the class reunion phenomenon, catching up with classmates without having to go to Australia to track them down. It has made the world a smaller place. It is also a great way to promote an event or get the word out on a specific issue.
Translate this to our youth generation and the difference is profound. It has become a status symbol, akin to a popularity contest, to have hundreds of friends. Some enjoy the virtual world much more than the real one. Our staff encourage youth to put down the temptation to text and enjoy the eyeball to eyeball relationships with friends in front of them. Many agree they can always find a friend to hang out with, even if they do not typically hang with them at school or at the weekend.
Facebook aside, there are many video games and websites that consume our kids, all in the name of downtime or entertainment. One of serious concern is Chatroulette. If you have not heard of it, read this article in the New York Times on the new phenomenon. It's like speed dating. On the screen are two webcam boxes - You and a random person from somewhere across the globe. If you like the person, you can chat. If you do not like what you see (e.g. average Joe, person in costume, person in undesirable circumstances) you can click onto the next person. The so called appeal is never knowing who you are going to see next. Considered voyeurism of the virtual world, this is incredibly disturbing. I feel compelled to share this with you as I was surprised to find numerous Duxbury students, fans of Chatroulette on Facebook . It is fairly easy to see Duxbury youth because of their relaxed security/privacy settings. They want to be found but leave themselves at risk to all sorts of predators.
How do we help guide young people in the world they are growing up in?
· If your children are on Facebook, get a Facebook account and friend them.
· Ask them about their privacy settings. Change them so that only friends can view their personal information on their wall, photos, comments etc.
· Remind them about online predators and how Chatroulette is a playground for predators.
At the DSU, we have made changes to our K9 internet security protection. Chatroulette has been blocked on all computers. Unfortunately, one can still see extremely disturbing photos posted on Facebook. For the time being, we have not shut down Facebook but will be carefully monitoring activity.
We remain just as committed to the safety of youth in the real world as with the virtual one. As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
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The 6th and 7th Grade dance is back this Friday 6.30p.m - 9.00p.m. Adult chaperones are still needed for this dance to go ahead. Please click here if you can help out.
Good weather brings outdoor fun like bike riding and skateboarding. Members are welcome to skateboard with a signed waiver and helmet (no exceptions). Stay tuned for our upcoming skate jam.
Join the fun at the Campus clean up at DMS on April 27th from 2.45p.m - 3.45p.m. We are excited to hear many of our Members are forming groups to participate. Don't miss out on the action to be part of improving and beautifying our school campus.
