A panel discussion on how sexting impacts Eastern Shore young people will be held on October 2, 2017 at 6:00 pm at the Talbot County Public Library in Easton. All who wish to gain a better understanding of the smartphone/social media world our youngsters inhabit are encouraged to attend. Henry Dove of the state’s attorney’s office, and Darlene Spurrier and Lynne Duncan from the Talbot Public School System will join Lt. Orellana from the Easton Police Department in exploring the prevalence of sexting in schools and homes. Panelists will discuss the consequences for young participants and suggest ways to approach the subject with our children. They will respond to questions from the audience following the main discussion.
Sexting is a presence in every kind of school — rich and poor, urban and rural, big and small. As phones make their way into the hands of younger and younger kids, incidents have grown more complex: Students collect their peers’ nude photos in passcode-protected Dropboxes, private Instagram accounts and apps disguised as calculators. Although many states have passed laws that draw a distinction between child pornography and sexting among underage kids, state police computer crimes units throughout the US receive multiple calls a month from schools needing its intervention. What do you do when your 13-year-old takes photos of her body to impress a boy, and now she’s crying, stomping up the stairs, slamming her bedroom door screaming, “You don’t understand!” The kids of Generation Z have never known a world without smartphones and social media. The program will examine what it means to grow up in an era where learning, flirting and hanging out all happen on screens.
Mr. Dove is the Senior Assistant States’ Attorney for Talbot County. Lynne Duncan is Assistant Superintendent for Administrative and Support Services in Talbot County Schools, while Dalene Spurrier supervises Student Services.
This timely program is brought to you by AAUW (the American Association of University Women). Easton’s AAUW branch will celebrate sixty years of empowering Eastern Shore women and families in 2018. Sexting is a new problem, but Easton AAUW has been working for the welfare of women and children for over half a century, in part by sponsoring informative public programs. AAUW’s national organization has been an influential, respected voice in the Halls of Congress and every statehouse since its foundation in the 19th century . Today, AAUW is an international advocate for women’s rights as well.
For more information about the Sexting discussion, call Patricia Crane at 410-819-3653. To learn more about how AAUW advances equity for all women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research call Elaine Wilson at 410-770-5049 or Connie Wolfe at 410-819-6789.
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