NORTH SYRACUSE -- An incident that happened live on Thursday's "Today" show has many Americans wondering about what's happening in our middle schools.
13-year-old Kayla Manson used a highly offensive profanity as if it were casual conversation when describing a text message. The text message sparked the savage beating of Kayla's best friend and has the Florida middle schooler accused of attempted murder.
After the profanity was uttered, Manson's attorney Jonathan Marne said, "We're sitting here with a 13-year-old little girl. These terms unfortunately are part of common vernacular in middle school."
Audrey Gangloff and Steve Wolf are middle school principals in the North Syracuse School District. They say kids in this age group are going through physical, emotional and psychological changes. As some exert their independence, they are easily influenced by their peers the internet, mass media and text messaging. "They're seeing violence they're hearing not nice things being said and you sometimes become desensitized to that." Gangloff told CNY Central.
Recognizing the special problems that middle school students face, the North Syracuse School District initiated an extensive character education program. The teachers divided up the school year into four quarters in which kids take part in activities that emphasize: responsibility; respect; caring; and trustworthiness. The kids receive special recognition for their achievements.
Administrators also try to involve parents in the programs. Principal Steve Wolf said "Allowing children... your children to say and do whatever they feel like doing is inappropriate as well. There needs to be controls."
Wolf and Gangloff say today's middle school student is very savvy when it comes to computers and text messaging.
Audrey Gangloff''s advice to parents: "Check the phone. It's your phone. Check and see what's going on, what kind of messages are being sent. Be aware of what's going on with the computer, check the computers."
Steve Wolf says if your child has a computer in his or her bedroom, take it out and put it where you can look over their shoulder.
To learn more about the district's character education program, click here.
