Austin Police Department & LGPOA-Austin - It Gets Better HD

The Lesbian & Gay Peace Officers Association produced a video comprising of LGBT officers and civilian members of the Austin Police Department to send a message to LGBTQ youth that it does get better. This is part of the It Gets Better Project (www.itgetsbetter.org) and The Trevor Project (www.thetrevorproject.org) to reach out to LGBTQ youth who may be struggling due to bullying, harassment, and non-acceptance, and who may be thinking of committing suicide. Our message is to let those youth know that even though it is difficult today, tomorrow will bring hope, love, and life. We are here to help you make it there!

If you are considering suicide or need help, call the Trevor Project now: 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386).

"IT GETS BETTER"
The It Gets Better Project was created to show young LGBT people the levels of happiness, potential, and positivity their lives will reach — if they can just get through their teen years. The It Gets Better Project wants to remind teenagers in the LGBT community that they are not alone — and it WILL get better. The website itgetsbetter.org is a place where young people who are lesbian, gay, bi, or trans can see how love and happiness can be a reality in their future. It's a place where straight allies can visit and support their friends and family members. It's a place where people can share their stories, take the It Gets Better Project pledge, watch videos of love and support, and seek help. Take the pledge to help make it better for others.

Should educators and students "friend" each other online?

Dr. Sameer Hinduja: Not at all. "Online communication tends to lead to candid sharing of world views and self-disclosure...Then you think of a teenager on a very vulnerable, lonely night, dropping you a message; and (the educator) wanting to encourage them, it could be read the wrong way...In this sort of society, we've got to be all about propriety...


Dr. Justin Patchin:  Maybe.  "The key in any environment to the way teachers interact with students is boundaries...If you have a social networking page that is completely professional — where you separate out your friends from your students — then I think it's completely appropriate.  But it's all about boundaries.  To assume that teachers are automatically going to be crossing those boundaries is unfair, I think, to most teachers..."



Click here to view Dr. Patchin &Dr. Hinduja.

'Sexting' may go hand-in-hand with unprotected sex among teens

By Maureen Salamon
HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Sept. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Teens who "sext" sexually explicit texts or images are probably taking other sexual risks as well, with new research indicating these adolescents are seven times more likely to be sexually active and significantly more apt to be having unprotected sex.

Analyzing self-reported behaviors of more than 1,800 Los Angeles students aged 12 to 18 (most were between 14 and 17), researchers found that 15 percent with cell phones acknowledged sexting and 54 percent knew someone who had sent a sext. Rarely was sexting the only sexually risky behavior involved.

Continue reading ... 

Embracing Good News on Children's Safety

The new report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics showing a 68 percent decline since 1993 in children's direct and indirect violent crime exposure is not the first or only good news about children and crime.

Other recent reports have highlighted major declines in sexual abuse and caregiver physical abuse. Surveys have shown that school safety has improved dramatically. Bullying, in spite of the new attention has been receiving, has been on the wane.

Read more.

Sexting on the Rise for Millennials: Why We Need to Get Beyond OMG and WTF in Research

If you weren’t familiar with sexting beforeAnthony Weiner — sending sexually explicit messages or photos via text —  you might have gotten an eyeful watching the first season ofGirls. Even Merriam-Webster has officially recognized that sexting happens. Now, a new study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics has found that 15% of teens with cell phones report sexting, while 54% say they know someone who sexts.

Read more here.

United States Gang Used Social Media In Teen Prostitution Scheme

United States Gang Used Social Media In Teen Prostitution Scheme


17:44, September 20, 2012

A violent gang in Virginia used social media sites to recruit high-school girls for prostitution, the FBI reports. The leader of the gang, 27-year-old Justin Strom, was sentenced to 40 years in prison last week for his role in orchestrating the enterprise during a three-year period ending in March, 2012.  Four other defendants, all of whom pleaded guilty, were sentenced to a total of 53 years.

Read more here.

What Do Educators Need to Know About Cyberbullying?

The new issue of ASCD’s Policy and Priorities includes the article “What Do Educators Need to Know About Cyberbullying?” which explains just what cyberbullying entails and identifies student groups most at risk. It also offers tips and strategies to those being cyberbullied as well as parents and educators.

Source: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
http://neatoday.org/2012/09/10/what-do-educators-need-to-know-about-cyberbullying/