Are Your Kids Safe Online?
by Brett King, RMCA Headmaster

I still remember that exhilarating moment over a decade ago. With my computer plugged in to the phone line, and the modem screaming as it connected to some mysterious location in cyberspace, a whole new world opened up before my eyes. I felt like a child in a candy store. Information that had previously taken me hours of research in a university library was now available at my fingertips. News about topics that interested me most was instantly accessible. I was hooked and wanted more! But what surprised me most about my first foray into the online world was how much of the information out there neither glorified God nor edified the soul. And that is more true ten years later.

While I can’t imagine teaching, learning, or working without the internet, it’s hard for me to imagine a more potentially unwholesome, even dangerous place for children and teens. In recent months, I have become increasingly concerned about lurking dangers in the not-so-hidden corners of the World Wide Web. So much so, that I have determined to ask parents to consider a very serious question: Are your kids safe online?

This has been a pressing question for us at RMCA. Like many schools today, we have up-to-date technology available to teachers and students: high-speed internet access on all our computers, wireless networking in all our facilities, a powerful website, and lap-tops for our middle-school students. With this kind of easy access to technology, we have placed a high priority on keeping kids as safe as possible. A powerful server-side website filter, limited access to email and network files, ethical-use agreements, and adult supervision when students are online are strategies we have used to increase student safety at school.

However, my greatest worry is not what happens in a structured setting at school, but what can happen when students explore seemingly harmless and popular websites on their own time. Most of us are aware of the online dangers related to pornographic sites and chat rooms. What you may not know about is the growing presence of online social networking sites used most commonly by middle and high school aged students. All too often, these sites are hidden from parents’ or teachers’ radar screens.

In my research for this article, I heard from other Christian school administrators, read a number of recent articles, and explored a few of these sites on my own. What I discovered was disturbing. One administrator told the story of how police showed up at the school office to investigate dangerous and disgusting threats made by a few of their Christian students—all discovered by a parent investigating a social networking site. A review of several articles documented that one of the most popular of these sites, MySpace.com, has been used by predators to gather personal information about unsuspecting teens. And a quick trip to another site revealed how easy it was for a local high school student to post detailed personal information and vulgar pictures for all to see.

Quite frankly, what I saw in my recent foray into this darker side of the online world made me want to throw my computer out the window. However, as a parent and an educator, I am committed to the protection and well-being of children, which requires me to keep up on the issues facing today’s kids. As parents and teachers we must consider how to carefully guard and diligently teach our kids about the wonders and dangers of this ever-changing technology. At RMCA, we are committed to both.

That is why we have posted some helpful information online. Please visit the “parent resources” page on RMCA’s website to learn more about the risky trends in cyberspace, and how you can use some simple techniques to help keep your kids safe online

 

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