How Virginia Teaches Kids Online Safety

State Requires Internet Safety Classes For Students Beginning In Kindergarten

(CBS)  Like most teens, Richmond, Va., eighth graders have active online lives -- and that's exactly why they're so taken with Rusty McGuire's class.

"What you guys have to think about is, how much information do you put on your social networking pages?" McGuire says to the assembled students.

McGuire is not a teacher. He's a prosecutor who goes after online sexual predators. But he also works hard at keeping these students at Moody Middle School -- and at other schools across the state -- from becoming victims, reports CBS News correspondent Thalia Assuras.

"You all will talk to somebody online and then want to meet them in person. And that scares me to no end," McGuire told the class.

It's this generation's "scared straight" -- the 1970's effort to keep kids out of trouble.

So many today are so computer savvy that Virginia now requires every public school student get lessons in online safety, starting in kindergarten. It's the first state law of its kind.

"We realize that it's a public safety issue, because we see the increase in Internet related crimes -- dramatically in Virginia," said Bob McDonnell, Virginia's state attorney general.

"One out of 4 kids aged 10 to 17 will receive at least one unwanted sexual solicitation during those years, and only 1 in 4 of those will tell their parents," he added.

The number one reason they don't tell is because they're worried their parents are going to take the Internet (away), so to them it's not in their best interest to tell their parents," says McGuire.

With kids often more computer capable than their parents, schools across the country are making Internet safety part of the lesson plan.

"Does everybody here know more about the Internet than their parents do?" Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler asks a group of third graders.

"Yes!" they all agree.

In Maryland, third graders learn about online do's and don'ts with the help of cartoons.

Rusty McGuire knows that kids often believe they're invincible and don't realize that what they put online can be accessed by anyone with a computer.

McGuire's job is to teach them rules for how to stay safe -- and the kids are listening.

Asked what the most important thing he learned in the day's lecture, eighth grader Dewi Smith says, "Not to give out your full name on the Internet, because it's forever and they can find you."

Classmate Tyra Beamon, agrees "I'm sure many of us will still keep our MySpace accounts, but I will definitely change some of my, like, I'll set it to private and change those things."

Among the top cybersecurity tips for parents: keep your computer in a central location in your home, and be aware of other computers your children may be using.

[whispyseas]

'' ... i couldn''t give you less than free food and free medicine forever if i even wanted to ... nah, actually: to feed the world, i gotta tax everyone in the world and deny options to the begging ... soo laughing ... anyways: i''ve been wondering lately, if the average county is 577 square miles and 90,000 folk occupying 300 16 acre trail crossings and 300 folk in 300 weeks turn out 90,000 (little eco friendly non resource depleting) museums of medical you are here map song dance skit kit, and 90,000 folk turn out many billion museums of medical you are here map song dance skit kit in the same period, and for many many small small tips, and the average home is 340 squre feet with 2500 square feet of garden and costs anywhere from $2400 to $60,000; then, on a cosmic scale: what''s the average county skize? and how many trail trail crossings? of how many cubic light years? and how many naked folk dance get well feed world songs rallyd round the sick beds drifting the spore bloom weed dragon trail fickle first aid lunch farm cottage studio trail groups at each trail crossing? and how many (little eco friendly non resource depleting) museums of medical you are here map song dance skit kit does each collection of how many folk turn out in what amount of time? and how volume density surfacearea is the average homed sheltet and the average lawn? and what''s the average cost? ... ''

[collinsseraph]

Truancy: The root of all school safety problems!

%u201CNo child falls through the cracks. They are dropped through or shoved through by lazy, emotionally immature adults and unethical professionals%u201D

But you may ask what this statement has to do with the issue of truancy? Simple, truant children %u2013 who are routinely late or absent %u2013 come from dysfunctional homes. Those homes in my experience are lead by caregivers who are more concerned about there own pleasures and convenience than the welfare of their children. Some may say that this is an unkind assessment.

The OJJDP also found that %u201CTruancy has been clearly identified as one of the early warning signs of students headed for potential delinquent activity, social isolation, or educational failure via suspension, expulsion, or dropping out.%u201D

Dr Gerald Patterson sums up the issue this way, %u201CParenting plays a critical role in the development process of children. Early discipline failures are a primary casual factor in the development of conduct problems. Harsh discipline, low supervision, lack of parental involvement all add to the development of aggressive children%u201D

School must take control of their truancy problems or they are bound to be overtaken by it.

A well managed school is a safe school!

[melani75]

I find it interesting that in this story the children are taught not to put their full names on their webpage and yet you put two of them on national television. So now every person watching your show not only knows their name but also what school they go to. Not smart on your part...

[hcpsteacher]

Melanie is right! Do you even pay attention to the content of your own stories?Putting the full students'' names on the internet with pictures and the school name has put them at risk, the very thing the school system in your story is trying to prevent. I believe it is also a violation of the Child Internet Protection Act. Your lawyer should be ready for some parent and school inquiries.

[hcpsteacher]

Melanie is right! Do you even pay attention to the content of your own stories?Putting the full students'' names on the internet with pictures and the school name has put them at risk, the very thing the school system in your story is trying to prevent. I believe it is also a violation of the Child Internet Protection Act. Your lawyer should be ready for some parent and school inquiries.

[hcpsteacher]

Melanie is right! Do you even pay attention to the content of your own stories?Putting the full students'' names on the internet with pictures and the school name has put them at risk, the very thing the school system in your story is trying to prevent. I believe it is also a violation of the Child Internet Protection Act. Your lawyer should be ready for some parent and school inquiries.

[kaelinda]

It''s a good idea to teach youngsters about internet safety. Because most of them won''t believe it unless it''s been drilled into their little heads over and over and over and over and over and...

[pilgrimsway-2009]

Hello adopted Esther, in 1966; you were originally (Meehan), were you born on 9,26,1963? I am your sister Sharon L. Contact V. Tierney at Catholic Home Bureau, NY.

[jmjhomenow]

Telling the kids about the stats is the tip of the iceberg. They have no idea the danger and risk they are putting themsleves at when they exchange personal information online. You CAN teach the the risks so they understand them and once they do can better avoid them. By the way, very disappointed in CBS reporting the names and school. Irresponsible and not in-depth fact finding reporting as Melanie has pointed out.

[whispyseas]

'' ... most folk most time dance get well feed world, but that little girl she''s evil for sure, she lurks among the hold hands weave bouquets, she plays first aid on the trail, but i tell ya, she''s evil, she''s really all get sick tax world, cuff cage collar, mug rape kill, she''s evil, i swear, and i don''t mean the avg 90 hours a year of dancing wicked-style porn songs neither, most folk most time are well behaved, but not her, and as long as not her, then not me, till she''s gone ... ''

[whispyseas]

'' ... what multi trillion dollar nuclear biological chemical stealth raype get sick tax world machine screaming ''i dare you to stay off drugs'' and ''i shock and awe you to stay off terror'' and forclosing on each farm, school, hospital in the world ... ''



'' ... most folk most time dance get well feed world, that little girl is evil, lurks among normal, but really get sick tax world, cuff collar mug rape, swear, not hike naked dance dressed porn songs or off backs of dragons to break bones for fun, most behave, but not her, or me till she''s gone ... ''



'' ... can''t give less than free food free medicine 4ever ... nah, to feed the world i must tax all & deny to begging .. soo laughing .. if avg county 577 sq miles, 90,000 folk, 300 16 acre trail crossings,300 (90,000) folk in 300 weeks turn out 90,000 (billions)(little eco friendly non resource depleting) museums of medical you are here map song dance skit kit for small tips, avg home 340 sq ft + 2500 sq ft garden at $2400 - $60,000; then, on cosmic scale: avg cosmic county makeup? how many naked folk dance get well feed world songs rallyd round the sick beds drifting the spore bloom weed dragon trail fickle first aid lunch farm cottage studio trail groups at each crossing? ... ''



'' ... eternal storyboards swimming infinite oceans of eternal storyboards ... ''