Top Tips

• More than 30 million children use the Internet



• 53 Million K-12 (Ages 5-17) students have access to the Internet

And, these children like to play games, visit social network sites, chat and visit inappropriate sites.

"Data collected by the National Assessment Center (NAC) during a 2003-2004 survey of more than 30,000 K through 12 students throughout the United States revealed that American kids and teens online are highly "at-risk"!
Source:
iSafe
Adopt a School Toolkit
http://isafe.org/imgs/pdf/i-Adopt-A-School_Toolkit.pdf

Here are other statistics:

• 11 percent are online for more than eight hours a week



• 12 percent spend more time online than they do with their friends



• 54 percent like to be alone when "surfing" the Internet



• 40 percent have visited an inappropriate place on the Internet (18 percent more than once)



• 40 percent trust the people with whom they chat on the Internet



• 9.5 percent have been asked to keep their Internet friendships a secret



• 10 percent have been asked by someone new (a stranger) on the Internet to meet face to face



• 10 percent have actually met face to face with a new person (stranger) from the Internet



• 45 percent have copied music from the Internet



• 37 percent believe their parents would either express concern, restrict their Internet use, or take away their computer if they knew where they were surfing on the Internet

Source:
iSafe
Adopt a School Toolkit
http://isafe.org/imgs/pdf/i-Adopt-A-School_Toolkit.pdf

Subsidized Safety?

The US Congress funded the i-Safe organization in 2002 to protect our students.

Now, the program is conducted in all 50 states, in 221 Department of Defense Dependent Schools in 13 countries.

Here is the organization's mandate:

"To educate and empower young people to safely and responsibly take control of their Internet experience by providing them with the awareness and knowledge they need to
recognize and avoid dangerous, destructive, or unlawful behavior, and to respond appropriately."
Source:
iSafe
Adopt a School Toolkit
http://isafe.org/imgs/pdf/i-Adopt-A-School_Toolkit.pdf

In fact, when supervision is absent, students try to conduct very un educational activities on school district computers…in classrooms, labs and libraries.

Sidebar

To forestall, but not eliminate this misuse of school district computer property (and tax payer money), school district install "Content Filters." In theory, these services "block" access to less-than-useful sites, and allow safe Internet access.

Of course, most home computers don't have Content Filters, and even fewer homes have adult supervision. So what's the point?

Content Filtering is important because access to inappropriate sites creates a major distraction in classrooms.

Sure, students will go home and do exactly what they cannot do in school. But, that behavior does not provide justification for allowing the behavior at school.

For example, only a few students engage in sexual activities at school, a tiny subset of the number that engage in such behavior at other venues.

Because our society fails to halt the sexual explorations and conquests of children (as evidenced by the teen pregnancy rates), our schools must become more vigilant.

The reason is that the safety and welfare of our students is our responsibility, not because we stand aghast at the morals of our children.

And, what is worse: "A pregnant child lives under the shadow of poverty for a lifetime because they had to drop out of school?"; or, "A student drops out of school because the school district where they reside provides a sub-standard educational experience?"

Causes: Different…Effects: Similar.

What does i-Safe do when the organization "Adopts a School?"

The i-Safe program is a strange combination of grass-roots advocacy and political "end-run operations" against our schools.

The purpose of the I-Safe Toolbox is to bring "advocates" into our schools because our schools are not doing the job of protecting our children.

And, these advocates are just concerned citizens. They may not even be parents.

Of course, a certain kind of person is apt to be incensed enough to take action and move to build an advocacy assault on immoral Websites and Sexual predators in our society.

Do we really want these folks in our schools?

But, how do school leaders just say, "No" to these morally superior citizens?

And the money that these folks raise to run their program…could that money be better used if it were in the hands of teachers?

What may answer some of these questions might be found in the contents of the i-Safe Toolbox.

Contents of the i-Safe Toolbox

The i-Safe Toolbox contains:

• Four Parts of the i-Adopt-A-School Program


• i-SAFE Curriculum


• NAC Assessments


• Sample Sponsorship Request Letter


• Event Announcement


• Sample Press Release


• Advocacy Activities


• Sample Elected Officials Letter


• Recommended Financial Guidelines


• i-Adopt-A-School Implementation Plan


• i-SAFE Inc Internet Safety Tips for Parents


• i-SAFE Inc Identity Theft Tips


• Media Sign-In Sheet


• Donor Pledge Cards


• 501(c)(3) IRS Determination Letter

Decide for yourself when you read the contents of the i-Safe Toolbox,

Well Meaning, Unintended Consequences?

No doubt the motivations of people of "Moral Rectitude" are right. And, everyone can agree that our students should be kept safe.

But, is the i-Safe program fated to trod the path of the D.A.R.E. Program, the "Abstinence Only" Snafu, or the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).

Even experienced teachers may be hard-pressed to identify one socially or politically-motivated program or initiative that has proven to be a benefit to children.

Of course the Reading is Fundamental (RIF) program seems to enjoy some success. However, the focus of the RIF book giveaway is to support reading and instructional.

And, whether the i-Safe program delivers "helpers" or "hinderers" probably depends more on the specific people that join a local affiliate organization than the bylaws and mission statement of the umbrella group.

Just keep an eye out for these folks if they show up around your school grounds. And try to opt your class out of their program, if you can devise a career-protecting reason that your supervisor will buy into.