NetSmartz.org

According to its founder, Juicy Campus was started to give college students an "unfiltered forum for college kids to talk about whatever they wanted and share funny stories and crazy high jinks." Unfortunately, this site has also become a place where students post discussion threads which may invite rude or hurtful comments about others such as:

• What do you think of [John Smith]
• HOT RAs
• Girls here are snobby
• Racism is good

Posters to Juicy Campus do not have to prove that their comments are true, even when those comments accuse people of immoral or illegal behavior and damage their reputation on campus. Some students who have been slandered on Juicy Campus worry that their reputations may be damaged with future employers as well.

As parents and guardians it is important that you talk to your children now about the comments that they make online. Comments by them, and about them, may have devastating effects on their lives and leave a trail which may influence opinions from future admissions officers, dorm mates, employers, and even friends. After all, sticks and stones may break your bones, but at least bones heal! Cruel words and insults said over the Internet? Those can last a lifetime.

Trick-or-treating is not for everyone. If you and your child choose to stay home and pass out candy, you may want to observe the following safety precautions in order to ensure a safer Halloween for visiting trick-or-treaters.

• Do not invite trick-or-treating children into your home, especially those that are unattended.
• If you own pets, consider placing them in a separate room in order to eliminate any unwanted interaction. This will lessen the stress on your pets as well!
• If you plan to play tricks as well as give treats, display clear warning signs. Although older children may find these tricks fun, younger children may not appreciate the skeleton that suddenly pops out at them.
• Make sure the path from the sidewalk to your house is clear of debris, decorations, and other tripping hazards.
• Reduce safety hazards for trick-or-treaters by using battery-operated lights instead of flames in jack-o-lanterns.
• Turn on a porch light, as well as lights inside your home, to indicate that you are passing out treats.

Also, remember never to leave your child at the door unattended while passing out candy. If you have to step away from the door, close it, lock it, and make sure that your child knows not to open it without you. This will make for a safer and more festive Halloween, no matter what side of the door your child is on!

Halloween Tip # 15:
Be sure to check the weather forecast before you take your child trick-or-treating. That way you’ll be prepared to stop inclement weather, like rain, from putting a damper on Halloween fun!

NetSmartz Outreach Team's monthly check-in…

At the beginning of October, NetSmartz Outreach had the opportunity to attend and present at the CyberSecurity, CyberAwareness, and CyberSafety Conference at the University of Maryland. One teacher shared her proven method for addressing the ethical concerns of students' sharing music, while another group of teachers discussed ways to comfort cyberbullying victims. Seeing educators' display such interest in and commitment to helping their students deal with the various aspects of the online world really reenergized our Outreach Team.

If you are an educator, think back to the "good ole days" of the college education that prepared you for your career. Would it have helped you to have Internet safety integrated into your teacher preparation? Do you think that incorporating aspects of Internet safety into pre-service teachers' curriculums will better prepare them to educate their students on this issue? We would love to hear your thoughts—write us at NetSmartz_contact@ncmec.org and we will share some of your thoughts in next month's Outreach Blog.

Look for NetSmartz Outreach next at the National School Board Association's Technology and Learning Conference and the National Middle School Association's Conference. Stop by our booths and presentations and say "Hello"!

Halloween Tip # 14:
Consider organizing or attending parties at home, in schools, or in community centers as a fun alternative to trick-or-treating.