Letter on Inappropriate Use of Technology
November 30, 2022
Dear CDMS Parent/Guardian,
This week, we unfortunately had to deal with students sharing inappropriate photographs or conversations with other students over their cellphones/ email while asking those students to share inappropriate photos of themselves in return. While all of this took place after hours and away from school, it interfered with the learning experiences of some of our students. With assistance from local law enforcement, the students responsible have been identified and we have taken action to address the situation.
In accordance with the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), Cairo-Durham Central School District prohibits harassing behavior that takes place outside of school, including online, if it interferes with our ability to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for our students. One of the things we teach students as part of our bully prevention and social media safety programs is to report behavior they find concerning to an adult. We are pleased to see, in this particular case, that is what took place.
Because children often do not report negative or harmful behavior they experience, we strongly recommend you speak with your child/children about what is safe and appropriate behavior when using cellphones, social media, and other online applications. If your child is experiencing online harassment or bullying from another student and you feel it is negatively affecting his or her school experience, please report it to us by speaking to any staff member or by using our Bully Incident Reporting Form, available in our school’s main office and through our “Report Bullying” link at https://www.cairodurham.org/page/dignity-for-all-students. We thoroughly investigate all reports made to us and take appropriate action whenever necessary.
I am including resources to help parents understand and address the risks associated with social media. This information can be found on the homepage of our website and under the “About” section of the menu.
https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/resources
We will continue to do our part monitoring behavior here at school and educate students about safe and appropriate social interactions. We ask that you please reinforce this important message by speaking with your children and monitoring their online interactions at home. Together we can help keep our children out of harm’s way.
Sincerely,
Danielle Czech
Cairo-Durham Middle School Principal