The Archdiocese of Louisville Office of Catholic Schools has created a new social media policy that is not just a set of guidelines, but a plan for students, parents, educators and administrators to work together to foster community values, say school leaders.
Dr. Donna Brown, the data and technology specialist for the schools’ office who led this effort, said Catholic school handbooks previously offered one paragraph addressing responsible social media use, but that wasn’t enough.
“It was time we took a stand in being proactive,” Brown said. “This is serious enough that we need to think about it all the time, not just in the short term when we run into problems.”
The new policy calls for everyone to work together, with parents and educators acting as role models in their use of social media and students learning how to use the technology in an ethical and responsible way.
During a recent interview, Brown described the policy, which outlines five pillars of safe and responsible internet use: digital citizenship, e-safety, cyberbullying prevention and privacy protection.
It also provides general guidelines that include respect for others, truthfulness, professionalism and consequences.
The new document also helps teachers navigate the selection of online resources for their classrooms, in particular, choosing resources that “reflect the vision of the school” and are “aligned with the teachings of the Catholic Church regarding the value of human dignity,” the policy says.
From an educational perspective, it’s about helping students learn the appropriate use of the technology, Brown said.
“We want kids to grow into social media use rather than banning it, because we know they’ll be using it in the future. We want them to know the ethical use of technology,” Brown said. “If the child learns it in kindergarten through fifth grade, by the time they’re in middle school it becomes a part of them.”
With that in mind, Brown said teachers are permitted to offer a “protected blog space,” where students can interact with peers online and practice responsible use of social media.
The policy includes guidelines for students who use social media.
When interacting on social media, students 12 years and younger, are encouraged to use the memory cue T-H-I-N-K, an acronym Brown attributed to British evangelist and pastor Alan Redpath.
It asks students to consider, is it:
- True?
- Helpful?
- Inspiring?
- Necessary?
- Kind?
Middle and high school students can legally use social media platforms, Brown said. The emphasis for this age group is recognizing the impact their online behavior has on them, their peers and the school community, she noted.
The policy details eight guidelines for students in this age group, including individual accountability, online safety and cyberbullying prevention. These students are also expected to participate in annual updates on social media use and the consequences for violating the policy, the document says.
Brown said that if everyone is working together, “We’ll be creating community values for the future. It’ll reflect our moral and ethical values.”
The policy also includes guidelines for social media use by administrators, teachers, volunteers and parents.
Podcast: Speaking of Psychology (Episode 166, Nov. 2021), Keeping Teens Safe on Social Media: tiny.cc/SocialMedia-Parents1
Website: Internet Matters – Social Media Privacy Guidelines: tiny.cc/SocialMedia-Parents2
Website: Internet Matters- Social Media Advice: tiny.cc/SocialMedia-Parents3
Website: Spectrum Parent Controls: tiny.cc/SocialMedia-Parents4
Website: ATT Parent Controls: tiny.cc/SocialMedia-Parents5
Article: A Teens Guide to Social Media Safety: bit.ly/SocialMedia-Parents7
Book: #Rules of Engagement: 8 Christian Habits for Being Good and Doing Good Online (Garrido, 2021)
Book: Behind their Screens: What Teens are Facing (and Adults are Missing) (Weinstein & James, 2022)
