Social Media

 

For many, social media is ever present, constantly accessible and an addictive part of modern day life!

The unfortunate reality of living in a hyper connected world is that a threat in another state or country - thousands of miles away - can have impact in our schools in mere minutes.

While there certainly are some benefits, there are also some very real impacts to take into consideration.

For example, social media can contribute to bullying, human trafficking, sextortion and school threats.

Statistically - less than 1% of school social media threats are found to be credible, however, they can still cause significant disruption, fear and anxiety. 

Psychologists emphasis that many of these posts can be signs of underlying emotional or behavioral issues in students.

As a school community, we ask for your partnership in working together to educate children on the serious dangers of posting threats, even as a joke. 

What are some key points you can discuss with your child?

• Posting threats can have real-world impacts causing unnecessary fear and distress for others.
• Posting threats - even as a joke - can lead to disciplinary action, legal trouble, and damage to a student's future opportunities.
• Do not repost or share threats you see on social media. Reposting amplifies panic, gives attention to the person behind the threat, and can make a distant threat seem local. If you see a concerning post, report it instead of spreading it further.
• Report threats or concerning behavior immediately.  You can contact the Medford Police Department or use the reporting section on the Medford School District’s website.
• Take all threats seriously until proven otherwise.  Even if a threat seems like a prank, it’s essential to treat it as real until authorities have assessed the situation.  It’s always better to be safe and cautious.
• There is a significant opportunity cost associated with investigating threats.  Resources that could be committed elsewhere to real threats can be quickly consumed following up on non-credible threats.

Here are additional tips to discuss with your child:

• Encourage open communication. Let your child know that they can come to you or a trusted adult if they ever feel unsafe or see something alarming online.
• Explain the impact of their actions. Help them understand how their words or actions online can affect their friends, classmates, and school community.
• Teach responsible social media use. Remind them to think critically about what they see and post online and to avoid participating in harmful trends or behaviors.

What else?

• Remind them that a digital footprint online can be permanent.
• Discuss the fragile security associated with most accounts and that hackers are constantly attempting to gain. access and control of their digital profile.
• Reiterate to them that they may not be talking to who they think they are talking to.
• Monitor your student's usage at age appropriate levels.
• Consider the impact excessive social media has on brain development.
• Know who your students are interacting with.

We appreciate your support in keeping our students and schools safe. Together, through education and awareness, we can help our students navigate social media responsibly and prevent unnecessary fear or harm.

One final consideration:

• A study on school shootings from the National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) of the United States Secret Service (USSS) showed that at least one other person had knowledge of the school attackers plan in 81% of incidents, and more than one person had such knowledge in 59% of incidents.

 

• There are almost always indicators.

 

• If you or your student see something, say something!