Hoping to upgrade student learning about the dangers of the online world, White County will partner with the Upper Cumberland Child Advocacy Center on expanding safety curriculum to older students.
The curriculum is tied to Erin’s Law, passed in 2014. It encourages school systems to provide age-appropriate instruction to students on personal body safety and how to report sexual abuse. Family Resource Center Director Beverly Dronebarger said the current instruction really centers on the youngest children.
“As they got older and recognizing that there is a real need now in the area of digital citizenship, social media, just kids on computers and gaming,” Dronebarger said. “And so I reached out to some of our neighboring counties and they are using the Child Advocacy Center.”
Advocacy Center staff will spend one day with each class, with counselors present. Those counselors will then follow through on the teaching in the weeks and months that follow.
“I have found, especially when they get to this level and I’m working with my students, a lot of them get caught up online with like, whether they’re playing games or they’re on Snapchat, social media, they don’t know what the law is really
