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Times have changed since most of the parents of Mustang Public School students were sitting in class. The Internet has created a fast and efficient way to gather information at any time of day and from anywhere in the world. But for all of its benefits, the Internet has also given predators a new tool for finding victims. According to a 2000 report on online victimization from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, one in five young people have received a sexual solicitation online in the last year. Of those, one in 33 received an aggressive sexual solicitation, in which the perpetrator sent gifts, contacted them through regular mail, called them on the phone or tried to arrange a face-to-face meeting.

The safety of Mustang's children while they're online is as important as their safety at home, at a friend's house or at school activities. It's vital that parents know where their children are going online, who they are talking to and what they are doing on the Internet. Dedra Stafford, Mustang Public School's instructional technology teacher, gave two presentations on Internet safety to parents who attended Parent University. An abbreviated list of tips she presented appear below. Or, please download her entire handout.

• Keep the computer in a common area - not in a child's bedroom.

• Use parental controls provided by your service provider and/or blocking software.

• Use the browser's history files to see what sites your child has been visiting.

• "House Rules" or computer safety contracts/pledges should be signed and posted near the monitor.

• Decide how long and when your child can use the computer each day.

• Randomly check your child/teen's email account and always maintain access to your child's on-line accounts/screen names.

• Communicate about the Internet

• Travel the Internet with younger children.

• Teen/children's screen names should be nondescript.

• Report any suspected online stalking or sexual exploitation of a child.

Questions? Comments? Contact the Webmaster mpswm@mustangps.org