Sexual predator threat to children is overblown

[Trooper110]

Report Finds Online Threats to Children Overblown - NYTimes.com

Really? Are they completely sure this time? I've maintained for a while that as long as kids aren't doing something completely stupid that the net is a fairly safe place, other than "questionable material." And do they think that maybe the video game/ violence comparison might be a stretch too??

[Hammy]

Pretty much what I said in another thread.

The real threat is on the street.

[mapes]

Yep it just that it looks good if the political people are passing laws to "protect the children" such BS

[Gimmie2]

Yep it just that it looks good if the political people are passing laws to "protect the children" such BS

for example: No Child Left Behind, my school may have to cut over 2 weeks of school, (good for students but bad for teachers) which would amount to the equivalent of a 10% pay cut for EVERY FACULTY MEMBER. that and our test scores have been steadily dropping since NCLB was passed....

[{CLR}geneSW]

NCLB was (IIRC) supposed to help children who had a hard time learning, by giving them extra time with the teachers and the material they where having trouble with... However, it has manifested itself into just a few of the examples below...

1.) Tests made easier so almost all kids who spend about 2 weeks in the class can pass it. Questions on the tests don't challenge the kids to think.

2.) Homework is given in extensive amounts so all children get the extra time with the material... This however just shoots itself in the foot, as most kids simply grab the answers and go, without really learning anything. The questions don't make them think, they just make them read for a moment. Oh, and most kids ignore this homework as a real learning tool because they receive so much of it. They just see it as "another annoying thing they have to do". I've seen cases where parents have went to the teachers and told the teachers that they will not make their kids do this much homework. Kids will be kids, they are full of energy and do not wish to sit for 3-4 hours a night doing homework... It just isn't a realistic goal.

3.) The class material is presented in a "boring" manner, because the material mandated by the state and is hard to get kids interested in because the material itself is rather dull and bland. I.E.... 1967 Israel wins 6 day war ..... Ok, rather bland material to simply present, so drum it up a bit and present the kids with questions like... Why was there a 6 day war, what exactly did Israel and their opponent fight over, Who did Israel fight? Show them footage if you can find it. Become passionate about the material you teach. If you are actually interested in it... most likely your enthusiasm will rub off on the kids.


I could go on and on.... but it might de-rail the topic. lol.

[Gimmie2]

If it had worked, it could have been a great thing, but no... they screwed up BIGTIME, now over 50% of students have failed at least one class (at my school anyway) and about 1/2 of those students have failed more than one REQUIRED COURSE TO GRADUATE!!!

[Apache Warrior]

They equated No Child Left Behind as all children have to learn at the same pace. that is impossible. No two kids learn at the same rate. Kids that need extra help should be given it. But, no one should be held back because another child learns at a slower pace.
Apache

[DougBob]

I agree with the exception of the following quote which I totally disagree with. From what I've seen the social networking sites are a total night mare of idiots that don't have any regard or morales on their postings and pics. Particularly myspace. I despise that site.

?This shows that social networks are not these horribly bad neighborhoods on the Internet,? said John Cardillo, chief executive of Sentinel Tech Holding, which maintains a sex offender database and was part of the task force. ?Social networks are very much like real-world communities that are comprised mostly of good people who are there for the right reasons.?