OXFORD, Miss. – According to the National Crime Prevention Council,
\napproximately half of U.S. youth surveyed say that they or someone they
\nknow have been victims or perpetrators of cyberbullying.<\/p>\n
To help more than 2,300 teachers throughout north Mississippi
\nunderstand and combat cyberbulling, the University of Mississippi
\nSchool of Education is teaming with the North Mississippi Education
\nConsortium to present a back-to-school convocation Monday (Aug. 4) on
\nthe Oxford campus. Set for 9-11:30 a.m. in Tad Smith Coliseum, the
\nevent is designed to inform teachers, principals and superintendents
\nabout the ways information technology is appropriately and
\ninappropriately used in the workplace.<\/p>\n
“The Internet, through social networking sites, text messaging and e-mails, has become the primary method for children to bully and intimidate their classmates,” convocation speaker Jim Keith said. “Hopefully teachers will come away from the conference with more knowledge and a higher degree of concern for what can happen to their students by abuses on the Internet.”<\/p>\n
A Jackson attorney, Keith is an expert on litigation related to inappropriate use of technology in the workplace. Both he and his partner, Cannon Allen at Adams and Reese, are featured speakers. Together, they plan to address some of the technology litigation their firm has been involved with, as well as discuss educator misconduct through the use of text messaging and social networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook.<\/p>\n
“It should be a powerful, meaningful and productive time,” said Cecil Weeks, NMEC co-director. “Our teachers will be better informed about how they can protect themselves and how to define appropriate technological relationships with students.”<\/p>\n
Other speakers include an FBI representative, who is slated to address cybercrimes and what educators need to know in order to better educate their students, as well as representatives from MySpace and the Mississippi attorney general=s office.<\/p>\n
“We are fortunate to have these experts come and inform our educators of their rights and responsibilities, because we want them to understand how to use technology appropriately and how to protect themselves from inappropriate use,” said Tom Burnham, UM dean of education.<\/p>\n
The consortium is a partnership among 43 north Mississippi public school districts, three community colleges and the UM School of Education. Its purpose is to assure quality educational programs through cooperative efforts and shared resources.<\/p>\n
For more information on the UM School of Education, go to http:\/\/www.olemiss.edu\/depts\/educ?school2\/<\/a> .<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"