Keeping
Your Family Safe
In This Edtion
School Safety:
Where there are gangs, there is an increase in violence. Gangs
are now showing up in all 50 states. Administrators need to
learn about why students get involved in gangs, and work to
develop policies to address gangs infiltrating the learning
environment.
School dress codes are increasingly being adopted to help
enforce a "zero-tolerance" policy for gang-related clothing
styles. Not addressing the growing signs of gang influence
in an area often will lead to violence as part of gang rivalry.
While it may be tempting to look the other way, and to believe
that gangs aren't a problem as long as the students are showing
up for school, that response will not help lead a teen back
to a productive path.
Learn more at http://ericweb.tc.columbia.edu/digests/dig115.html
- Between 1989 and 1995, the percent of students who reported
a street gang presence in their schools nearly doubled, increasing
from 15.3% to 28.4%. (Source: National Crime Victims)
Personal Safety Tip:
We spend a lot of time helping our children learn that it
is wrong to lie. At different developmental phases, young
children do lie for different reasons. A four-year-old may
lie because her fantasy is so real that she doesn't realize
she is lying. An eight-year-old may lie in an attempt to manipulate
and learn about power. But all children need to be taught
that sometimes they may need to lie to protect their safety.
For example, if a child is walking in the park alone and someone
they do not know approaches them, they need to learn it is
a good idea to lie. If they spot a group of people, they could
yell, "Hey! Wait for me! I'm coming!" or if they see a woman
they could shout, "Hey Mom! Wait up!" as they run over to
ask for help.
Or if they are home alone, they need to know how to answer
the phone. Many parents rely on the telephone to check in
with their child after school, and the child expects the ringing
phone to be his parents. However, if it is anyone other than
a parent, the child needs to lie. He needs to be able to say
something like "My mother is in the shower right now, I will
have her call you back later."
A child needs to know that safety should be their the first
concern, and that they will not be punished for lying in a
potentially dangerous situation, and that they must tell you
about it immediately.
Questions from our Readers & Our
Answers:
Q. I want my child¹s school to be more than a just
an excellent academic institution. I want my child to learn
about community participation in school, and voter education.
Can¹t schools include more lessons on how to develop a child¹s
character or is that forbidden these days?
A. Actually, in some states "character education"
is now mandated. We believe that when youth are engaged in
community activities and given a chance to be valuable members
of a community that they grow into concerned citizens.
You may want to ask your school to look into The Giraffe Project,
which encourages students to "stick their necks out for others."
It comes with a proven, inexpensive curriculum for grades
K 12. Based on storytelling about actual young heroes, it
includes active community service projects. You can learn
more by visiting www.giraffe.org
Statistics:
Accidental gun deaths of children were reduced by 23% in states
with Child Access Prevention Laws, according to a study published
by the Journal of the American Medical Association on Oct.
1, 1997. To date, 17 states have passed CAP laws.
Accidental firearm injuries are the fourth leading cause of
accidental death in the U.S. among children ages 5 14. (Source:
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence)
More than 50% of all gun owners do not lock up their guns.
(Source: New Yorkers Against Gun Violence)
Open for Discussion One Opinion:
Parents have long realized that young children learn some
nasty things on the school bus, but we presume the older students
in this lightly supervised setting teach those words. That
may not be the case these days. In a new trend, school bus
drivers across the nation are playing the radio as a method
to keep the kids on the bus happy.
Children absorb the lyrics from the radio as if they were
as innocent as a commercial jingle for extra sugary cereal.
But when those lyrics encourage children to harass women,
or insult those different than themselves, or even shoot cops,
someone has to ask if the students should be exposed to that
on the bus. School board members and parents need to be asking
the bus companies what is being played on the bus, and complain
when their children come home singing lyrics that can get
them grounded.
A simple rule of thumb for censoring a radio station from
being played on a school bus: "If the bus driver could loose
his or her job if they said those same words to a child, turn
the station off."
We don't need to tolerate language from a radio broadcast
that we would not tolerate from school personnel. "Let's Talk
About Sex" may just be a title to a pop song, but if a parent
starts asking, "where did you hear that?" the bus driver and
the bus company may have some explaining to do. Why not just
turn the station before someone files a lawsuit filled with
accusations of grossly inappropriate conversations taking
place between bus drivers and children?
Being proactive in knowing where your children are hearing
those words and phrases which they repeat is an important
step in teaching your children to discriminate against vulgarity,
before vulgarity teaches your children to discriminate.
Newsletter written and researched by FPA staff.
Newsletter Coordinated by James Meaney.
Fingerprint
America
5 South Allen St.
Albany, NY 12208
www.fingerprintamerica.com
1-888-372-1999
This
newsletter was created for Fingerprint America.
All rights reserved. Reprint with permission
only. |
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Newsletter
Archive
2007
January
2006 in Review
February
Turning a Negative into a Positive
March
youtube.com and your kids
|
2006
January
Teens
and alcohol abuse
March
Are social networking sites safe?
April
Identity Theft - Not Just for Adults
May
Teens, Television & Sex - What's the Connection?
July
The Growing Problem of Gangs
August
The Case For – And Against Cell Phones for Children
October
School Safety Revisited
November
Rhode Island Named Safest U.S. State – How Does Your State Measure Up?
December
The Great Cell Phone Debate
|
2005
January
Teens
and alcohol abuse
February
Hospital
and new safety precautions with newborns
March
Check
List for bikes, helmets, rollerblades and more safety
April
Finding
a babysitter and other tips!
May
Is
your Child ready for Summer camp? Other great summer camp tips!
July
Fireworks
safety, handling and hazards
August
How
safe it the Resort babysitter? Tips for parents on vacation.
October
Hurricane
Katrina and the children effected
November
Repeat
of October 2005
December
Video
game industry and violent/sexual games geared to your children |
2004
January
Skiing
Safety Tips for your and your kids!
February
Teens
and Driving
March
Cyber
bulling, The Carlie Brucia Story, Children and the Internet
April
School
Trips; The Internet, Your Kids and You; Helmets and Safety
July
Voice
Recognition Technology
October
Halloween
Safety Tips and Statistics
November
Holiday
Travel Safety and Tips
December
Holiday
Shopping Safety Tips |
2003
February
Virtual
Crimes, National Youth Anti-Drug Campaign, Teens and Tobacco and Interviewing
Abused Children
March
Singing for Safety, Seeds of Peace, Mental Health of Youths, Developing
Informed & Active Young Citizens
June
Choosing
a Summer Camp, Summer Camp Safety Tips
July
Dangers
of Fireworks, Keeping backyard pools safe
August
Safety
at Carnivals and Fairs
September
Back
to school reminder, High School students and Hazing, School Security, Being prepared
in a Blackout
October
Halloween
Reminders for Parents, Alternatives to the Traditional Trick-or-Treat Ritual,
Halloween Facts & Figures, Crossing the like Between Fun and Danger
November
Cell
Phones In School: Changing Perceptions, Cell Phones and Distraction in School,
Cell phones |
2002
March
Amber
Plan, Know your way home, Childcare at Resorts
July
same
as March
August
Post
Viral Fatigue Syndrome, Teach the risks of Drug Abuse, Discipline |
2001
February
Diversity
and Children, Coping with a Bully, Finding a Missing Child
March
Gang Violence in Schools, Children and Lies & What
your children learn from music
April
Teaching Discrimination, Buddy System & Should Toy Guns
be Allowed in School?
May
Campus Safety, Pool Safety, When Parental Abductions Occur, & Family
Rest Rooms
June
School/Camp Release Procedures, Neighbor Hood Summer Safety, Letting children
stay home alone, Runaway Teens, Parents and trusting gut feelings
July
Trust with your children, Knowing where your teens hang out, When big kids
hang out with younger kids, Communities creating events for teens
August
Teen Parties, Being Organized Helps in Emergencies, What to do to help
missing children, Helping kids surf the internet
September
Hosting your Teen’s Party, Teaching Tolerance Grant
Funds, The Younger American Act
October
September 11, 2001 and the effects on children in school and at home
November
Volunteering
in your community, Emergency Evacuation Drills, Children and Self Defense,
Suicide vs Homicide & working with our community |
2000
April
School Internet Safety, Important Numbers your Child should
know, Q&A
May
College Campus Bike Patrol, Protecting Infants and Toddlers
in Day Care, Fearing Fake Cops & Teachers as Advocates
June
School Violence, Safety at Camp Pick UP, Donate Cell
phones for victims of violence & International Abductions
July
School Violence, Parents Internet Safety, Abduction Safety
for Your Newborn Baby & what should you do if you see a child alone?
August
School Bus Safety, Car Seat Safety & using the WHALE
Program & Help Reduce Violence in Youth Sports
September
Walking and Talking to Strangers, Internet Patrol Volunteers & Child
Abuse Statistics
October
Playground Safety, Appropriate Teachers Aide Behavior
November
National Runaway Prevention Week, Talking about Guns with
your kids, Teen Babysitter Safety, Sensory Integration Disorders
December
Profiling Students and Violence, Children and Holidays,
Shopping Mall Fears and Safety & Violent Child Tantrums |
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