Saturday, December 31, 2005

Online chat risk for teens

Teens at risk over online chats
Survey finds many talking to strangers
“Half of all teenagers are talking to strangers on the Internet - a risky business that exposes them to sexual predators, a new survey indicates. The survey released Wednesday by the Polly Klaas Foundation in Petaluma found that half of the teens they polled communicate regularly online with someone they have never met. One in three talk to the stranger about meeting and one in eight has learned that a person they have been chatting with is older than they say they are.”  Article continues

Monday, December 26, 2005

Tyng driver's licence to educational outcomes?

From CNW
McGuinty government to give legislative backing to student success


Bill to include mandatory programs for students, new enforcement measures

    - New legislation is expected to be introduced
today that would ensure students keep learning to 18 or graduation through creative incentives that realize students' individual potential and unique enforcements to prevent them from dropping out, Education Minister Gerard Kennedy announced today.
    "It has been 50 years since Ontario updated the school-leaving age
requirement," said Kennedy. "It's time that our 21st century high schools provide the kind of programs that are relevant to students today and support parents' ambitions for their children."
    "There is more at stake than ever before for students to get a high
school education that is high quality, meaningful and prepares them for a variety of postsecondary destinations."

    The legislation, if passed, would:

    -  mandate the government's comprehensive student success programs be made available by all school boards
    -  increase the school leaving age to 18 or until graduation by keeping students learning either in classrooms or at other approved learning programs
    -  improve enforcement policies with more effective and practical
measures tied to students' driver's licences
    -  create hard links between high schools and postsecondary destinations to allow external learning to be recognized for high school credits

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Harry Potter


Potter's fans shaken but undisturbed by dark deeds

Harry Potter has grown up and so have four-year-old children. Article continues