(no subject)
Andrew sent me this. I thought I'd share it. (His brother goes to the prep.)
Over the last two weeks there has been a great deal of talk about the web site MySpace.com. MySpace is a free social networking internet service which enables users to communicate by means of posting blogs, using an internal e-mail system, and posting messages to web forums. Users can also upload and display photos and other information on their profiles. Recently, an individual brought the content of several different St. John’s related MySpace sites to the attention of Ms. Olson, Dean of Students. In some instances students created blogs and profiles, using the name and images of St. John’s, on MySpace that alluded to frequent use of drugs and alcohol and / or posted comments that did not respect the dignity of all members of the Prep Community.
At this time our goal is not to take disciplinary action, rather, it is to reach out compassionately and challenge individual decisions that glorify or promote the use of drugs and / or alcohol, attack groups of individuals or put students at heightened risk for cyberstalking. From our perspective the administration has a moral and an ethical duty to share this information with the parents of the students involved. Ms. Olson has communicated with the students and parents related to the sites brought to our attention.
We believe it is important to share this information with the greater school community and ensure that all parents and faculty are aware of the existence of MySpace.com. In many instances student profile information and blogs posted on MySpace is accessible to the general public. As our society deals with the issues of identity theft and internet predators, it is important for parents to speak with their sons regarding the nature of any postings on MySpace.
As young men it is important for our students to make wise decisions regarding the information posted on MySpace. All materials posted to MySpace are archived and searchable through a diverse array of internet search engines. As students apply for jobs and eventually for college admission many MySpace postings are available to college admissions officers as well as managers who may or may not hire you for jobs or internships.
We encourage all of our parents to talk to their son about whether or not he uses MySpace or other comparable web services. If your son is using MySpace we encourage you to become aware of the content that he is posting. To assist our community in becoming better educated about the use of MySpace and other similar services we have created an EDLINE site with a vast array of resources (http://www.edline.net/pages/St__Johns_Preparatory_School/Internet_Safety_Resources). Additionally, we are in contact with several different speakers as we plan to hold an educational session for parents on the topic of internet safety. In the event that you are concerned about postings please feel free to contact your son’s guidance counselor or make a referral to our Student Assistance Program by sending an e-mail to sap@stjohnsprep.org. As always please do not hesitate to contact me with any concerns or questions.
Peace and Prayers.
Over the last two weeks there has been a great deal of talk about the web site MySpace.com. MySpace is a free social networking internet service which enables users to communicate by means of posting blogs, using an internal e-mail system, and posting messages to web forums. Users can also upload and display photos and other information on their profiles. Recently, an individual brought the content of several different St. John’s related MySpace sites to the attention of Ms. Olson, Dean of Students. In some instances students created blogs and profiles, using the name and images of St. John’s, on MySpace that alluded to frequent use of drugs and alcohol and / or posted comments that did not respect the dignity of all members of the Prep Community.
At this time our goal is not to take disciplinary action, rather, it is to reach out compassionately and challenge individual decisions that glorify or promote the use of drugs and / or alcohol, attack groups of individuals or put students at heightened risk for cyberstalking. From our perspective the administration has a moral and an ethical duty to share this information with the parents of the students involved. Ms. Olson has communicated with the students and parents related to the sites brought to our attention.
We believe it is important to share this information with the greater school community and ensure that all parents and faculty are aware of the existence of MySpace.com. In many instances student profile information and blogs posted on MySpace is accessible to the general public. As our society deals with the issues of identity theft and internet predators, it is important for parents to speak with their sons regarding the nature of any postings on MySpace.
As young men it is important for our students to make wise decisions regarding the information posted on MySpace. All materials posted to MySpace are archived and searchable through a diverse array of internet search engines. As students apply for jobs and eventually for college admission many MySpace postings are available to college admissions officers as well as managers who may or may not hire you for jobs or internships.
We encourage all of our parents to talk to their son about whether or not he uses MySpace or other comparable web services. If your son is using MySpace we encourage you to become aware of the content that he is posting. To assist our community in becoming better educated about the use of MySpace and other similar services we have created an EDLINE site with a vast array of resources (http://www.edline.net/pages/St__Johns_Preparatory_School/Internet_Safety_Resources). Additionally, we are in contact with several different speakers as we plan to hold an educational session for parents on the topic of internet safety. In the event that you are concerned about postings please feel free to contact your son’s guidance counselor or make a referral to our Student Assistance Program by sending an e-mail to sap@stjohnsprep.org. As always please do not hesitate to contact me with any concerns or questions.
Peace and Prayers.