Teen Sexting

AMERICA'S LEADING AUTHORITY ON
BUILDING CHARACTER, ENDING DESTRUCTIVE DECISIONS!

Teen Sexting

As the 2017-18 school year is upon us, administrators and educators must prepare for the increased digital communication. The number of students bringing cell phones to school is on the rise and administrators face the dilemma what cell phone incidents warrant discipline. Principals and teachers alike must be educated to the fact that cell phones and electronics are an integral part of the student’s life and regardless of where the student may go, the phone is a constant companion and most state laws are protecting these students’ rights to possess and maintain. Teens and tweens do not separate their life at school from their life outside of the school campus when it comes to phone use and their need to communicate. And for schools to declare, “cell phones are not allowed to be used during school hours” will only result in uncountable violations that must be addressed.

Cell phone use poses enough challenges; while inappropriate cell phone use opens an entirely different dynamic. Inappropriate messaging, bullying and sexting are on the increase and administrators are finding themselves in the middle of what may result as criminal activity. Sexting, in particular, is rapidly affecting masses to include family, victims, perpetrators, and yes teachers and administrators. School staff should realize that in cases of sexting and posting of nude or semi-nude photos, they may be held accountable and become involved in criminal investigations.

So what’s an administrator to do?

  1. Educate staff and school counselors
  2. Develop concise policies
  3. Educate students
  4. Protect yourself
  5. Partner with Parents
  6. Partner with Community Support Organizations

Baby Boomer teachers should stop fighting against the use of cell phones and embrace the positive outcomes and effects. Rather than attempting to discipline every student who uses his/her cell phone during class, perhaps the better answer is to give students 5 minutes at the start of class to check messages, text mom or friends or finish that game started at lunch.

Schools must develop detailed policies regarding cell phone use. For example, “Were school computers or tablets used to generate or receive inappropriate messages or pictures?” “Was the sexting etc. committed on school campus?” Disciplining violation of a school policy is much easier that confronting an inappropriate message that may or may not be illegal! Another example, may be a semi-nude picture taken in a locker room. Address the school policy and notify the authorities of most likely child pornography behavior. Develop clear policy when staff may intervene or confiscate phones, tablets, etc. Looking beyond the offensive messaging or postings and to the mandated school policies may reduce reaction and discipline time on incidents, and of course, if criminal activity is suspected, contact law enforcement at once.

Educate students. Mandate time to cover all school policies on the use of technology and cell phones etc. Remind them that sexting and sending or receiving nude or semi-nude pics may result in criminal consequences that could include juvenile detention, jail time, probation and being labeled as a sex offender, which could be a lifetime stigma.

From the ethical approach, victims of sexting face embarrassment, humiliation, shame and often become the recipients of bullying, name labeling and ridicule. Teens and tweens must be taught that sexting is never okay even in personal relationships and what may be created in a private domain always has the possibility of going viral, intentionally or unintentionally. Sexting and pornographic image displays have devastated moms and dads and grandparents, broken friendships and resulted in shame and guilt for the victim. If a perpetrator is involved, this person regardless of age may be held accountable and could face criminal charges. If parents are aware of such activity, they, too, may be held accountable or the teen may be removed from the home and placed in foster care.

Administrators should never ask to view sexting or pornographic content or pics. Never ask a student to forward any questionable material. Notify your SRO, the parents or guardians, the school counselor and authorities if warranted of the student’s claim. Many states are asking that students be taught to delete all inappropriate receiving immediately. If an investigation results, “nothing is ever really deleted” and may be retrieved by a professional. Use discretion.

Partner with Parents. Work through the PTA. Suggest the use of apps that denote and alert parents to inappropriate searches, messaging etc. Create a task force to focus on positive use of technology.

Partner with community organizations that focus on child protection and healthy development. These agencies may have materials, presentations or one on one approaches to student guidance.

Giving attention to the increased use of personal and school issued tech equipment which is no longer an amenity but now the norm helps all community facets work together to be intentional and protective of our young people.

All In Generation is the nation’s leading resource for School Assemblies and Character Seminars. Check out the rest of our website to view supportive resources, gather solutions, and find out more about bringing us to your local school and community.

  • School Assemblies
  • Character Seminars
  • Parent and Mentor Trainings
  • Ready-Made-Curriculums
  • Community Events

Bullies and bullying can be prevented by the slow and methodic process of mentoring and coaching from a caring mindset. Each and every young person carries a wealth of potential. It’s up to us to see, call forth, and empower that potential. Your diligence and long hours toward maturing this generation are not in vain, but rather are changing the world.

Further Support Training for the Bullied

AMERICA'S LEADING AUTHORITY ON
BUILDING CHARACTER, ENDING DESTRUCTIVE DECISIONS!

Further Support Training for the Bullied

Even with the upsurge of mandated antibullying programs and continuous increased awareness of the effects of bullying and the need to support those being bullied, schools are faced with a dynamic that is much easier to talk about than implement.  Guidelines suggesting all areas be monitored, no area left unsupervised and increased teacher and staff visibility sound great, but the reality is questionable as limited staff and funding challenges the knowledge of what should be done.

Perhaps the better option resides not in increased visibility but in increased support networks.  (1) Principals and supervisors may want to examine the possibilities of combining forces with administration, teachers, staff and organizations as Student Council, Beta Club, Honor Society, soccer team, music clubs, PTO etc… to create task forces that take on the challenges of bullying prevention and assisting those who have been victimized.

Students and staff can work together to provide “tattle-tale squads” that immediately report to administration all witnessing of bullying and suspicions that bullying may occur. (The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development advocates the “Be a Tattletale Approach”.) (2) These task force students and teachers then work together with the bullied student to change mindsets and provide 24 hour support to the victim. Those bullied at school have high probability that they will also be bullied on social media; therefore, task force peers are readily available to text, tweet and/or Instagram encouragement to the victim.  Task Forces need to concentrate on three self-actualization areas:

Support Training for the bullied should include working toward changing the mindset of the victim through repetitive teachings as:

  1. DO NOT GIVE YOUR POWER AWAY.
  2. YOUR SOURCE OF STRENGTH IS INSIDE YOU.
  3. NEVER LET ANYONE FRIGHTEN YOU INTO MAKING ANY DECISION.
  4. BULLIES OPERATE FROM WEAK CHOICES; MAKE STRONG CHOICES FOR YOURSELF IN ORDER TO AVOID THE CONSEQUENCES OF WEAK CHOICES FROM OTHERS.
  5. REMEMBER YOU WILL EXPERIENCE AS MUCH PAIN AS YOU ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT.
  6. DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO CONVINCE YOU THAT YOU NEED FIXED PHYSICALLY, DYNAMICALLY OR EMOTIONALLY.  YOU ARE NOT BROKEN!   (3)

Concurrently with the Support Training is the Action Training to include:

  1. IF BULLIED, STAND STRAIGHT, GIVE EYE CONTACT AND MAINTAIN DISAPPROVAL IN NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION.
  2. TELL SOMEONE OF AUTHORITY IMMEDIATELY, NOT 2 DAYS LATER, BUT ONE MINUTE LATER.
  3. REQUEST ADULT INTERACTION IMMEDIATLEY TO AVOID REPEAT TACTICS.
  4. TAKE ADVISE ONLY FROM THOSE TRAINED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE.
  5. WHEN POSSIBLE, AVOID REACTING. PAUSE; THINK; MAKE WISE CHOICES.
  6. DO NOT RESPOND TO BULLIES IN PERSON OR ON LINE OR PHONE.   (4)
  7. DON’T WALK ALONE. AVOID PLACES WHERE BULLYING OCCURS.
  8. DO NOT BRING VALUABLES TO SCHOOL.
  9. KEEP SERIAL NUMBERS OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN A SAFE PLACE AND PERMANENTLY LABEL ALL PERSONAL ITEMS.
  10. IF PHYSICALLY INJURED, HAVE AN ADMINISTRATOR CALL THE POLICE. PHYSICAL ABUSE IS A CRIME.

The final phase of a Bullying Support Task Force is the Follow-Up. Keep in mind the succeeding:

  1. FOLLOW-UP; FOLLOW-UP; FOLLOW-UP!  The Task Force should monitor and record all signs of bullying behavior or behavior that promotes bullying to provide documented behaviors and work toward prevention.
  2. BRING THE VICTIM INTO THE SOLUTION. ASK THE VICTIM WHAT HE/SHE WOULD LIKE TO SEE. (5)
  3. KEEP OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION WITH VICTIMS.
  4. CONSIDER TRAINING VICTIMS TO BECOME ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE TASK FORCE.

Remember Intervention is the best Prevention. For assistance and ideas in developing and implementing Anti-Bullying Task Forces, contact All In Generation at www.allingen.com

1. National Association of School Psychologists; “Bullying Prevention:What Schools and Parents Can Do”;www.lebanonct.org/district/ims/support_services/nasp/bullying.html.
2. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development;”Dealing with Bullying: What Teens and Kids Can Do”; Robert Segal, MA and Jeanne Segal, PhD; www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/dealingwithbullying.html; update April 2017.
3. Why Your Life Sucks; Alan H. Cohen; Bantom Dell; 2002.
4. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development…
5. Florida Department of Education; www.fldoe.org/schools/safe-healthy-scshools/bullying-prevention.stml “Bullying Prevention”.

All In Generation is the nation’s leading resource for School Assemblies and Character Seminars. Check out the rest of our website to view supportive resources, gather solutions, and find out more about bringing us to your local school and community.

  • School Assemblies
  • Character Seminars
  • Parent and Mentor Trainings
  • Ready-Made-Curriculums
  • Community Events

Bullies and bullying can be prevented by the slow and methodic process of mentoring and coaching from a caring mindset. Each and every young person carries a wealth of potential. It’s up to us to see, call forth, and empower that potential. Your diligence and long hours toward maturing this generation are not in vain, but rather are changing the world.

Summer Focus

AMERICA'S LEADING AUTHORITY ON
BUILDING CHARACTER, ENDING DESTRUCTIVE DECISIONS!

Summer Focus

The parent’s worst nightmare is upon us!  This nightmare breeds fear of inactivity, lack of supervision and some realistic concern that the tween/teen will remain in vegetative, media-induced hypnotism or high risk activity for the rendering of those 10-12 weeks better known as “SUMMER VACATION”.  As educators, counselors and principals, the concern for our students’ well-being and retention of values, knowledge and interactions are priority, but as statistics speak, data shows that millions of young people across our nation of all races and social classes engage in vandalism, bicycle theft, car burglaries and random crimes of opportunity at an accelerated rate during these summer months! (1)

Although increased down time, boredom, occasion for increased group activity and less consistent supervision may contribute to “being in the wrong place at the wrong time”, last school days’ messages may stoke young people to invest in summer as opportunity. Encourage students to:

  1. BE SMART AND MAKE WISE CHOICES
  2. CONNECT TO OPPORTUNITY

Reassure students to listen to their inner voice when asked to join others or participate in planned and unplanned activity and if the read out is “Don’t, Leave, Not Good”, then BE SMART. One poor or “following the crowd” decision can permanently change a life. Communicate with students to build on their strengths, expand their capacity and find opportunity.

This opportunity can often be revealed through scheduled summer jobs and participations. Encourage students of all ages to work either as a volunteer or as a paid employee.  Research indicates that summer jobs, especially for high risk students have reduced juvenile arrests by as much as 43% in some of our larger cities. (2) Opportunities are often available in day camp assisting, YMCA camp counseling, life guarding, pool maintenance, park assistance, VBS church programing, babysitting and child caring, dog walking, lawn and garden tending, cooking for elderly or even working with parents to schedule paid chores as taking care of family laundry, washing of vehicles, etc. Driving teens may look to “errand running” for elderly or busy moms.  Ask counselors to brainstorm productively with students to create positive, self-reliant activity.

Suggest that the social media mogul, create summer blogs and share with friends, teachers, etc.  Encourage the Xbox devotee to create his/her own Apotheon or Chronicle Survivor and forward the accomplishments to the media teachers. Encourage digital photo collages of summer life be forwarded to the art department.  Encourage music, rap and lyric writing.

Ask supervisors and counselors who work during the summer weeks to randomly text, Instagram students regarding their summer investments, providing attention and feedback that many desire.

Have a great summer break!!

For more ideas on surviving Summer Vacation by thriving, contact us at www.allingen.com.

  1. Juvenile Justice Information Exchange;  “OP-ED: The Myth of Juvenile Crime in the Summer”;  Marc Schindler and Amanda Petteruti ; August 20, 2014.
  2. Sciencemagazine.org;  “Summer Jobs Lower Violent Crime Rate for Urban Teens”; Jeffrey Merris; December 4, 2014.

 

All In Generation is the nation’s leading resource for School Assemblies and Character Seminars. Check out the rest of our website to view supportive resources, gather solutions, and find out more about bringing us to your local school and community.

  • School Assemblies
  • Character Seminars
  • Parent and Mentor Trainings
  • Ready-Made-Curriculums
  • Community Events

Bullies and bullying can be prevented by the slow and methodic process of mentoring and coaching from a caring mindset. Each and every young person carries a wealth of potential. It’s up to us to see, call forth, and empower that potential. Your diligence and long hours toward maturing this generation are not in vain, but rather are changing the world.

Can Research-based Programs Prevent Cycles of Addictive Behavior in Young People?

AMERICA'S LEADING AUTHORITY ON
BUILDING CHARACTER, ENDING DESTRUCTIVE DECISIONS!

Can Research-based Programs Prevent Cycles of Addictive Behavior in Young People?

The Short Answer is YES!!!

The term “research-based” means you are dealing with a program that has been specifically designed around current scientific and sociological data which then drives that design to specific outcomes and goals. These programs have been tested to see that methods achieve the results desired. A research-based program is not guesswork then. They are approaches based on and driven by the data with measurable results. You can break the cycle of addiction and substance abuse in your school environment with a properly designed program created around the students’ needs. Using All In Generation as an example, we have constructed the delivery of our material to meet students where they are using the architecture of modern media and social media methods since these are the modes they are used to when it comes to taking in information daily. We also created a powerful, life-changing message that empowers students to see through to the truth about their reality and then to make better choices for themselves and the people around them. Research shows that cycles of addiction are predictable and methods for breaking those cycles can reach desired outcomes as well.

 

The statistics are startling and demand action.

 

The statistics are startling and demand action on the part of those of us that have committed our lives to helping and to educating students. Over 60% of teens report that drugs of some kind are kept, sold, and used at their schools. Availability is a powerful factor in the likelihood of beginning a cycle of addiction. Students struggle with many issues and often seek out an escape. We should do all we can to cut back availability of dangerous substances, but we must also empower students to choose better options for coping regardless of the availability of substances.

 

Substance abuse is becoming normalized in youth culture.

 

In addition to our schools being greatly affected by availability, substance abuse is becoming normalized in youth culture. 23% of 12th graders reported on binge drinking with over 5 drinks in a row being a normal and regular social habit for them. Teenagers who drink alcohol are 50% more likely to try cocaine than those who never use alcohol.

 

Substance abuse is killing our young people and it has to stop.

 

Alcohol is the leading factor in the top 3 causes for death in 15-24 year olds. These leading causes of death include auto crashes, homicides, and suicides. In multiple cases, alcohol is involved directly or indirectly in these incidents. Substance abuse is killing our young people and it has to stop.

 

We can make a difference together.

 

Research based programs can turn the tide and break these cycles of addiction and death. Programs such as All In Generation have shown positive and measurable results to alter the balance between risk and protective factors for drug abuse in families, schools, and communities. We can make a difference together. Studies have shown that programs like All In Gen can significantly reduce early use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs which in turn can change everything for your school.

As an educator and leader who has dedicated my life to helping young people, All In Generation is a mission for me. It is a calling to save the lives of students in trouble and to change the cultures of schools for the better. Partnering with administrators to help them reach their goals for their schools is what I’m about and it is what All In Generation does.

Contact us today to see what we can do for you with our proven, research-based approach to changing student behavior and improving the cultures of schools.

All In Generation is the nation’s leading resource for School Assemblies and Character Seminars. Check out the rest of our website to view supportive resources, gather solutions, and find out more about bringing us to your local school and community.

  • School Assemblies
  • Character Seminars
  • Parent and Mentor Trainings
  • Ready-Made-Curriculums
  • Community Events

Bullies and bullying can be prevented by the slow and methodic process of mentoring and coaching from a caring mindset. Each and every young person carries a wealth of potential. It’s up to us to see, call forth, and empower that potential. Your diligence and long hours toward maturing this generation are not in vain, but rather are changing the world.

Addressing Bullying to Address the Rest

AMERICA'S LEADING AUTHORITY ON
BUILDING CHARACTER, ENDING DESTRUCTIVE DECISIONS!

Addressing Bullying to Address the Rest

Bullying is not the only problem in schools. In fact, it is difficult to address bullying effectively sometimes because it is one of an endless list of problems that might range from academic struggles within a school, faculty morale, attendance, pressures from stakeholders outside the school building, and countless other issues.

 

When one problem is impacted greatly by an effort, there is a peripheral effect.

 

The problem with trying to address every problem at once is that efforts can become diluted and resources can be stretched thin. It is difficult if not impossible to try to focus on everything at once. There is an interesting effect that comes with addressing bullying within a school in an effective manner. Often times, when one problem is impacted greatly by an effort, there is a peripheral effect that reaches into other issues connected to that original problem in ways we never saw. By focusing on bullying and making a difference there, other things will be fixed too.

 

A significant impact on a bullying problem within a school can have far reaching and lasting effects.

 

By impacting the lives of bullies and their victims in a way that changes behavior and outlook, many more things are changed within a school. Referrals will drop which frees administrative time to address other issues. Attendance may improve which then benefits other aspects of the school report card. Better behavior in the building increases teacher effectiveness and morale. A significant impact on a bullying problem within a school can have far reaching and lasting effects.

Sometimes we feel paralyzed to act because we see every problem at once and don’t know where to begin. Whether we are helping one student or an entire school, it is good to begin with one thing. Solving one problem effectively can have a lasting impact on so many things at once. I have looked at the scale of the problems facing this generation and I have chosen bullying as the one problem to solve that changes so much more around it.

Don’t be overwhelmed. Don’t feel like you are facing this alone. Use the resources available from ALL IN GEN to help you deal with bullying in your school.

All In Generation is the nation’s leading resource for School Assemblies and Character Seminars. Check out the rest of our website to view supportive resources, gather solutions, and find out more about bringing us to your local school and community.

  • School Assemblies
  • Character Seminars
  • Parent and Mentor Trainings
  • Ready-Made-Curriculums
  • Community Events

Bullies and bullying can be prevented by the slow and methodic process of mentoring and coaching from a caring mindset. Each and every young person carries a wealth of potential. It’s up to us to see, call forth, and empower that potential. Your diligence and long hours toward maturing this generation are not in vain, but rather are changing the world.

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