Points of View: Don’t ban social media from schools

By Steve Nicholls, Special to CNN

          The New York Education Department recently stated that in the first 11 months of 2011 there were 69 cases where teachers were accused of inappropriate conduct with students on Facebook. Some were fired as a result, and there is a growing trend by schools across the country to put a ban on social media.

          This raises a question: Is prohibiting social media in schools the right way to protect children?

          In my view, if the answer is yes then that would mean that as technology grows, schools are forbidden to grow with it, and that would somewhat be of a contradiction to what a school is supposed to be in the first place.

          I believe it is critical that social media is allowed in schools as it presents a world of opportunities that far outweigh the risks if it is implemented safely and properly. Social media has become far too integrated into daily life on a global basis; failing to incorporate it into schools would do our children a disservice.

          Think of how far the space has grown in just a few years (remember Myspace?) and imagine where it will be by the time your child is out of college. Trying to ban social media will simply not work. Just ask certain autocratic countries that have tried in vain. The question at the core of the issue is: Why ban it?

          Concerned parents may point to the potential dangers and risks. What about inappropriate interaction with teachers? Or scams from online predators? Even adults fall prey to human emotion and post things they would love to have back. Why put my 10-year-old in that position?

          My answer is to first acknowledge that these concerns are warranted and the threats are real. That being said, while the risks of social media are very serious, the biggest risk of all is not to embrace it. Bad people exist in all walks of life, and while we must protect against them, we must not let them hinder progress. For example, if a pedophile is found near a school playground, would you homeschool your child? I think in most instances the answer would be no.
          The fact that the risks associated with social media are real is exactly the reason why it is important to make it part of school teaching. What better place is there to educate our youth about these potential risks so they can avoid them in the “real world?” Ignoring them will not make them go away.

          As discussed in my book, Social Media in Business, I have helped implement social media across a variety of business sectors, and the core principles apply to schools, too. The key is to put a strong social media policy in place that identifies the potential risks and mitigates them so you can enjoy all the benefits social media has to offer. In the fast-changing digital world, there is not a “one size fits all” formula, but by adhering to certain principles and putting certain safeguards in place, schools can implement a safe and effective policy that will protect the school, the children and the teachers while maximizing learning.

          I believe there are 10 important principles to consider that will help implement a safe and effective social media policy in schools:

          1.  Bring in experts: Working with both a legal team and social media experts is a good way to ensure the crafting of a solid social media policy, one that takes into account the benefits, risks and fast-changing landscape.

          2.  Make a clear written policy: The policy needs to plainly inform teachers, students and parents about what is and isn’t acceptable behavior and list the consequences of inappropriate behavior. The policy can be written and reinforced verbally and signed by all to confirm their understanding of every aspect of it.

          3. Highlight past transgressions: The best way to connect with people is to humanize the issue. Schools could talk about previous cases of misconduct which led to firing of teachers and expulsions of students.

          4. Strive for accountability: Remind teachers and students that they will be held accountable for everything they write on social media sites.

          5. Create a classroom page: Teachers could consider establishing a separate classroom Facebook fan page that is safe and secure. By doing so, you are creating a safe environment to facilitate an online community full of learning.

          6. Report inappropriate behavior immediately: If somebody writes or does something inappropriate through social media, reporting it immediately is very important. The good news with social media is that there will be electronic proof, and this avoids the typical “he said, she said” scenario found in many schools.

          7. Remind students of proper use: On school time, social networking sites need to be used for learning activities and not leisure activities such as video gaming.

          8. Assess policy vs. reality: Just because a policy is written does not mean it will be followed. Many “unwritten” rules will take shape, and the school needs to be vigilant and continuously reshape policy to match what is happening “on the ground.”

          9. Involve parents and the community: Involving parents and the community is also important as this allows them to “police” proper conduct and keep a watchful eye.

          10. Bring the risks to light: Children will use social media outside the classroom, thus the classroom is the perfect place to teach them about risks. Just as teachers tell children not to get in a stranger’s car, talking about the dangers of online predators can be incorporated into school learning and prepare them for life outside school.

          I think the topic of social media in schools is worthy of great debate, but ultimately, it is in our children’s and our nation’s best interest to embrace its use as it will only become more of a core form of communication as we move further into the 21st century.

Editor’s note: Steve Nicholls is the author of Social Media in Business. He is a social media strategist hired by business executives to teach them how to implement a winning social media strategy into their organization. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Steve Nicholls.

What do you think?

This Day in History 8/16/12

          While salmon fishing near the Klondike River in Canada's Yukon Territory on this day in 1896, George Carmack reportedly spots nuggets of gold in a creek bed. His lucky discovery sparks the last great gold rush in the American West.
          Hoping to cash in on reported gold strikes in Alaska, Carmack had traveled there from California in 1881. After running into a dead end, he headed north into the isolated Yukon Territory, just across the Canadian border. In 1896, another prospector, Robert Henderson, told Carmack of finding gold in a tributary of the Klondike River. Carmack headed to the region with two Native American companions, known as Skookum Jim and Tagish Charlie. On August 16, while camping near Rabbit Creek, Carmack reportedly spotted a nugget of gold jutting out from the creek bank. His two companions later agreed that Skookum Jim--Carmack's brother-in-law--actually made the discovery.
          Regardless of who spotted the gold first, the three men soon found that the rock near the creek bed was thick with gold deposits. They staked their claim the following day. News of the gold strike spread fast across Canada and the United States, and over the next two years, as many as 50,000 would-be miners arrived in the region. Rabbit Creek was renamed Bonanza, and even more gold was discovered in another Klondike tributary, dubbed Eldorado.
          "Klondike Fever" reached its height in the United States in mid-July 1897 when two steamships arrived from the Yukon in San Francisco and Seattle, bringing a total of more than two tons of gold. Thousands of eager young men bought elaborate "Yukon outfits" (kits assembled by clever marketers containing food, clothing, tools and other necessary equipment) and set out on their way north. Few of these would find what they were looking for, as most of the land in the region had already been claimed. One of the unsuccessful gold-seekers was 21-year-old Jack London, whose short stories based on his Klondike experience became his first book, The Son of the Wolf (1900).
          For his part, Carmack became rich off his discovery, leaving the Yukon with $1 million worth of gold. Many individual gold miners in the Klondike eventually sold their stakes to mining companies, who had the resources and machinery to access more gold. Large-scale gold mining in the Yukon Territory didn't end until 1966, and by that time the region had yielded some $250 million in gold. Today, some 200 small gold mines still operate in the region.

This Day in History 8/15/12

          On this day in 1969, the Woodstock Music Festival opens on a patch of farmland in White Lake, a hamlet in the upstate New York town of Bethel.
          Promoters John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, Artie Kornfield and Michael Lang originally envisioned the festival as a way to raise funds to build a recording studio and rock-and-roll retreat near the town of Woodstock, New York. The longtime artists' colony was already a home base for Bob Dylan and other musicians. Despite their relative inexperience, the young promoters managed to sign a roster of top acts, including the Jefferson Airplane, the Who, the Grateful Dead, Sly and the Family Stone, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Creedence Clearwater Revival and many more. Plans for the festival were on the verge of foundering, however, after both Woodstock and the nearby town of Wallkill denied permission to hold the event. Dairy farmer Max Yasgur came to the rescue at the last minute, giving the promoters access to his 600 acres of land in Bethel, some 50 miles from Woodstock.
          Early estimates of attendance increased from 50,000 to around 200,000, but by the time the gates opened on Friday, August 15, more than 400,000 people were clamoring to get in. Those without tickets simply walked through gaps in the fences, and the organizers were eventually forced to make the event free of charge. Folk singer and guitarist Richie Havens kicked off the event with a long set, and Joan Baez and Arlo Guthrie also performed on Friday night.
          Somewhat improbably, the chaotic gathering of half a million young "hippies" lived up to its billing of "Three Days of Peace and Music." There were surprisingly few incidents of violence on the overcrowded grounds, and a number of musicians performed songs expressing their opposition to the Vietnam War. Among the many great moments at the Woodstock Music Festival were career-making performances by up-and-coming acts like Santana, Joe Cocker and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; the Who's early-morning set featuring songs from their classic rock opera "Tommy"; and the closing set by Hendrix, which climaxed with an improvised solo guitar performance of "The Star Spangled Banner."
          Though Woodstock had left its promoters nearly bankrupt, their ownership of the film and recording rights more than compensated for the losses after the release of a hit documentary film in 1970. Later music festivals inspired by Woodstock's success failed to live up to its standard, and the festival still stands for many as a example of America's 1960s youth counterculture at its best.



Making Changes to Your Milwaukee

A Message From Mayor Barrett:

I am so proud to enter Milwaukee into The Mayors Challenge -- a competition organized by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's philanthropic foundation that challenges cities across America to find innovative solutions to problems, improve urban life, and make city government work better.
The five boldest, most innovative ideas will win a $1 million or $5 million grant to make the idea become reality -- as well as earn national and local recognition.
While nearly 400 cities across the nation are competing, I know the creative, innovative and dedicated spirit of the people of Milwaukee will ensure our idea will compete for the grand prize.
​

That's why I'm asking for your help.

Milwaukee's Challenges: 

FOOD SECURITY & HOUSING FORECLOSURES

Check out the Milwaukee Tournavation website for some more information on how these 2 issues are effecting Milwaukee's citizens and to submit your ideas for change! The deadline to submit is next Friday, August 24th. Selected entries will defend their submissions in the rotunda at City Hall!

After Facebook posts lead to new trial, convicted brothers granted bond

          (CNN) -- Two Michigan brothers were granted bond Monday after nearly 25 years behind bars for a murder they say they never committed.

          Raymond and Thomas Highers, both 46, are now awaiting a new trial, after a chance Facebook encounter uncovered new testimony.

          Last month, Wayne County Court Judge Lawrence Talon threw out their life sentences for the 1987 murder of a suspected Detroit drug dealer, and ordered a new trial based on the new testimony.

          Under Michigan state law, a judge must review an inmate's conduct in prison before release, even if the inmate's conviction is set aside. On Monday, the Highers' former warden and a clinical psychologist testified on the brothers' behalf at the bond hearing.

          Carol Howes, former warden of the Lakeland Correctional Facility where the brothers were periodically incarcerated, said she believes the Highers brothers are innocent based on her interactions with them.

          "I've known them for over a decade. I've never known them to lie to me about anything," Howes told CNN. "They have consistently said that they were innocent."

          Clinical psychologist Lyle Danuloff testified that his psychological testing of the brothers "did not indicate any problems with aggression, hostility, or impulse control."

          "They have an enormous family willing to support them and a large group of friends still around even though this all happened so many years ago," he told CNN.

          Judge Talon set each brother's bond at $10,000 cash but they must post only 10% each to be released, court officials said. Bail had not yet been posted as of Monday afternoon.

          "We feel that the bond should have been much higher considering that this is a first-degree murder charge," said Maria Miller, spokeswoman for the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.

          "We are currently considering whether to appeal the bond decision," the spokeswoman said. "We will be appealing the grant of a new trial."

          Court officials said if they are released, the Highers must wear GPS tracking devices until the new trial begins. A pre-trial hearing is set for August 29.

          The brothers were granted a new trial after a Facebook post by a former resident of the neighborhood where the brothers had lived led to the discovery of new witnesses who shed doubt on their guilt.

          Among the findings, one new witness said he saw "four young African-American men" enter the dealer's home the night he was murdered. Two of the men were armed and one allegedly fired a shotgun, the witness said.

          Unlike the alleged assailants, the two Highers brothers are white.

          "The court found that the new evidence we found was reliable and credible," Raymond Highers's attorney, Janet Napp, told CNN last week. "These men have proclaimed their innocence all these years and nothing has changed. Finally because of Facebook, witnesses have been discovered."

          The Highers' defense attorneys were not immediately available for comment on Monday's bond hearing.

What do you think?

This Day in History 8/14/12



          On this day in 2003, a major outage knocked out power across the eastern United States and parts of Canada. Beginning at 4:10 p.m. ET, 21 power plants shut down in just three minutes. Fifty million people were affected, including residents of New York, Cleveland and Detroit, as well as Toronto and Ottawa, Canada. Although power companies were able to resume some service in as little as two hours, power remained off in other places for more than a day. The outage stopped trains and elevators, and disrupted everything from cellular telephone service to operations at hospitals to traffic at airports. In New York City, it took more than two hours for passengers to be evacuated from stalled subway trains. Small business owners were affected when they lost expensive refrigerated stock. The loss of use of electric water pumps interrupted water service in many areas. There were even some reports of people being stranded mid-ride on amusement park roller coasters. At the New York Stock Exchange and bond market, though, trading was able to continue thanks to backup generators.
          Authorities soon calmed the fears of jittery Americans that terrorists may have been responsible for the blackout, but they were initially unable to determine the cause of the massive outage. American and Canadian representatives pointed figures at each other, while politicians took the opportunity to point out major flaws in the region's outdated power grid. Finally, an investigation by a joint U.S.-Canada task force traced the problem back to an Ohio company, FirstEnergy Corporation. When the company's EastLake plant shut down unexpectedly after overgrown trees came into contact with a power line, it triggered a series of problems that led to a chain reaction of outages. FirstEnergy was criticized for poor line maintenance, and more importantly, for failing to notice and address the problem in a timely manner--before it affected other areas.
          Despite concerns, there were very few reports of looting or other blackout-inspired crime. In New York City, the police department, out in full force, actually recorded about 100 fewer arrests than average. In some places, citizens even took it upon themselves to mitigate the effects of the outage, by assisting elderly neighbors or helping to direct traffic in the absence of working traffic lights.
          In New York City alone, the estimated cost of the blackout was more than $500 million.

Ancient Soldiers on the March



A 2,300-year-old set of sculpted Chinese warriors visits New York.



August 3, 2012

By Tyrus Cukavac

          In 1974, farmers in Xi’an (shee-an), China made a big discovery. Buried beneath the ground were thousands of life-size statues of warriors from ancient China. They had been untouched since their burial in the 3rd century B.C. Made of terracotta, a type of clay, the statues are known as the Terracotta Warriors or the Terracotta Army.

          Ten of the warriors are now on display in New York City. This is the maximum number of the statues that can be displayed outside of China at one time. Visitors to the exhibit at Discovery Times Square get to view the warriors up close—unlike in Xi’an, where the statues must be viewed from behind glass.
          The exhibit also features artifacts, or objects from the past, dating from the rule of Qin Shihuangdi (chin shee-whong-dee). He was the first Emperor of China and oversaw the creation of the Terracotta Army. He believed that these clay soldiers would protect him in the afterlife.

THE EMPEROR’S TOMB

          In its early history, China was made up of seven states that were frequently at war with one another. Qin Shihuangdi conquered all seven of these kingdoms and united China under his rule. But the Emperor couldn’t live forever.
          Qin Shihuangdi commissioned, or hired, workers to build him a huge funeral complex. It is believed that 700,000 people built the complex, which was meant to be a tiny version of the Emperor’s kingdom. Ancient accounts say it included rivers made of mercury, which represented eternal life. The Terracotta Army was part of this giant tomb.
          “The idea for China and the afterlife is that you wanted to bring everything with you to serve you in the afterlife that served you [in your life on Earth],” says Kristin Romey, an archaeologist (a person who studies objects from the past) working on the exhibit.
          About 1,000 artisans, or craftsmen, sculpted an estimated 8,000 warriors. Each soldier has unique armor, a military rank, and a particular job. Among them are archers, foot soldiers, and even cavalry (soldiers who ride on horseback). The warriors also demonstrate six different facial shapes that reflect the native peoples from different areas of China.
          Archaeologists in China are still finding artifacts from the funeral complex. In June, researchers found even more clay soldiers buried in Xi’an. Romey estimates that only 2 to 3 percent of the complex has been uncovered. Who knows what other secrets may lie hidden in the Emperor’s tomb?
          The exhibition at Discovery Times Square closes on August 26.

Source: http://junior.scholastic.com/top_news