Cover Letter
[Insert Name]
[Insert Institutional Affiliation]
[Insert Address]
9 December 2020
Debbie Wasserman Schultz 1071 Twin Branch Lane Weston, FL 33326 AskDebbie@DWSforCongress.com
Dear Congresswoman Schultz,
I am writing to inform you about the increasing concern regarding the security of our children and the need for students to be taught about internet security. I decided to write to you because I am aware of the effort that you have made to promote internet safety in our school. In remember the proactive step that you took to promote the passage of the School and Family Education about the Internet (SAFE Internet) Act. The Act was meant to create grant program that would support internet safety education in schools. In addition, the grant was aimed at giving schools the resources to develop and implement new cyber security methods that they deemed to be effective.
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Just like you, I am a firm believer that the internet has several benefits that out children can exploit. In addition, I believe that the internet is full of opportunities that we can exploit to make the world a better place. However, I have been concerned about the increasing cases of children being abused online. Furthermore, I am worried about our children being exposed to cyber bullies while others loose personal data and information. These are problems that can affect any child who is in school as he or she uses the internet. I am also a believer in the important role that teachers have to play in protecting our children.
Being someone who has been involved in advocating for the security of our children, I believe that we can work together to support the internet safety education plans in our schools. Am looking forward to hearing from you so that we can work together for the benefit of our children. I believe that through the proposed programs, we can impart the appropriate skills that children require to be safe while using the internet.
Yours sincerely
[Sigh]
[Name]
Pamphlet
Problem Statement
We are living in an era where the internet has become an integral part of our lives. Internet is vital for communication, shopping, and in the education sector. As the internet use increase nd new wireless technologies emerge, many children are likely to be exposed to danger as they use the devices. Furthermore, cases of cyberbullying are likely to increase. Therefore, there is a need for education stakeholders and parents to work together to find solution to the problem. We cannot deny the fact that the internet is likely to continue playing a critical role in the lives of students. Furthermore, it is undeniable that the internet has critical benefits when used in the right way for teaching and learning purposes. However, it does not mean that the users will always be safe. Instead, it is implies that young people and teens will continue to be exposed to greater danger while online.
One of the main challenges that have been linked to the increased use of the internet among students is the issue of cyberbullying. When students use the internet, they may end up interacting with people from diverse places and regions. Some of these individuals have ill motives and may end up engaging in cyberbullying. In the United States, cyber bulling and sexting are some of the major problems that have been linked to the rising adoption of the internet and wireless devices in the education sector. From time to time, the federal government and other agencies gather data to show the prevalence of cyberbullying among children. In 2019, for instance, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that “among students ages 12 – 18 who reported being bullied at school, 15% were bullied online or by text” (National Bullying Prevention Center, 2020). The Centers for Disease Control (2019) noted that among the students who are bullied online, the problem was more prevalent in the population of learners in middle school, followed by high school and primary school in that order. From 2007 and 2019, the percentage of students who have experienced cyberbullying at a given point in their lives changed from 18% to about 37%. The figures show that the number has almost doubled and is expected to increase in the future is proactive measures are not taken to address the problem. In surveys where students have been asked about the specific kinds of bullying that they experienced, majority of them talked about mean and hurtful messages, spreading of rumors, and personal threats (Patchin et al., 2019). Finally, reports indicate that students who are cyberbullied are also likely to experience offline bullying. The above statistics are an indication that the issue of cyberbullying is becoming prevalent among school going children. In addition, the data reveal that the existing interventions and systems have not helped in managing the issue of cyberbullying. Therefore there is a growing need to reevaluate how the internet related threats are being addressed in the education sector.
Impact of the Cyber Threats
The threats that emanate from the internet can adversely affect the wellbeing of students and their performance. For instance, students who are cyber bullied may develop mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. In the long run, such students will not be able to concentrate on their academic work (Espelage & Holt, 2013). Moreover, they may struggle to achieve their full potential in school. The relationship between bullying and suicide is also another area that has been explored in the past. The media continues to oversimplify the issue by insinuating that there may not be a direct link between cyber bullying and suicide. The facts from previous research evidence tells a different story. In particular, it has been reported that there is a cause or reason link between suicide and cyber bullying. In addition, research show that persistent cyberbullying may worsen the feeling of rejection, despair, exclusion, and isolation. In some cases, it contributes to the development of anxiety, depression, and suicidal behaviors. Although most of the students who are bullied may not become suicidal, the students can develop a wide range of mental health conditions that will also worsen their physical health and wellbeing.
What we know About Online Threats
Students and teachers use the internet for different tasks. Unlike teachers who may understand the dangers linked with the internet, students may not know how to identify and deal with the threats and risks. In addition, they are likely to struggle when it comes to dealing with the cyber-attacks that may occur online. One of the main issues that affect students who use the internet is cyberbullying. Bullying affects students of all ages and can adversely impact on their health and development. Furthermore, it is know that the kind of cyberbullying that students may encounter may differ from one setting to the other. Another known fact is that adults can help in preventing cyberbullying by assisting their children to use the internet in a safe manner. However, the adult person may not be available at all time to help the students. Therefore, the students need to be encouraged and helped to identify potential threats as they use the internet.
Recommendation
It is undeniable that children need the opportunities that the internet presents. Therefore, it is imperative to focus on creating a safe environment in which they would continue using the internet resources without being exposed to the dangers of technology. Educators know the opportunities that the internet presented and how it had opened up the world for the young people. However, stakeholders in the sector cannot put a blind eye on the dangers linked with the internet. Therefore, the first line of defense would be to keep the children from the dangers created by the cyber bullies and online predators. Furthermore, there is a need to enact safety education programs to enlighten students about ways of being safe and smart. Through the programs students could learn how to avoid the risk of being victimized while using internet resources. Teachers have a critical role to play in assisting students. However, the teacher cannot always be there to monitor what the child is doing or examining what the children are doing over the internet. In addition, the teacher may not always be available to help the students to decide sites to visit and those ones that they should not be visiting. Consequently, the children will continue to be exposed to certain threats as they use the internet and other wireless devices. The most appropriate method that we can use to deal with this problem is to train our children about internet security. The process entails informing young children about the dangers that they may be exposed to and enlightening them about ways through which they can deal with the threats. In addition, the students need to know ways through which they can detect the threats and how they should be dealt with. The primary objective is to help the students to understand the benefits of the internet and the problems that they are also likely to encounter in the course of using such technologies.
Conclusion
The world is witnessing significant advances in the area of technology. In the last decade, there has been several technological fields. In addition, different technologies have been used in a wide range of areas of life. These changes are due to the need to create new platforms that can be used to improve human life. In the education sector, the internet has been used for various purposes such as communication, exchange of information, research, and development. In addition, the internet is being used by both teachers and students to access information on various issues. However, students are also exposed to adverse threats as they use the internet. These threats can adversely affect the development and wellbeing of the students. Consequently, it is imperative to come up with programs that will be used as the basis for teaching students about internet safety and security.
References
Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (2019). Preventing bullying. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/yv/bullying-factsheet508.pdf .
Espelage, D. L., & Holt, M. K. (2013). Suicidal ideation and school bullying experiences after controlling for depression and delinquency. Journal of Adolescent Health, 53
National Bullying Prevention Center (2020). Bullying statistics. https://www.pacer.org/bullying/resources/stats.asp
Patchin, J. W., & Hinduja, S. (2019). 2019 Cyberbullying Data. Cyberbullying Research Center. Retrieved from https://cyberbullying.org/2019-cyberbullying-data
