No to DOPA
I believe Tom is right in rejecting the premise and rationale for this bill. Thanks, Tom! It was also really helpful to read all the letters from other educators. I love this blogging community. Thanks Liz, Miguel, Will, Robert, and Doug. I’m sure there were others I missed. Here’s mine:
Dear Rep. Westmoreland,
I would like to express my appreciation for the work you do for your Georgia constituents. I also am thankful for the opportunity to voice my opinion on matters of concern. I have taught in the Georgia public schools for over 20 years. I am currently working at Georgia State University as an Information Systems Training Specialist, but continue to do work with students and teachers on instructional technology projects in the public schools. A great deal of that work revolves around using technology such as blogs and other “social software†with my students. It is crucial for educators to be right there with the students discussing the ground rules, the what ifs, the why nots, and to be modeling the appropriate use of these technologies. It can be empowering for our students. I have found that when we give them ownership and listen to their voices we all flourish and learn, I cannot believe this learning is threatened by a bill recently introduced in Congress.
I am very concerned about the Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA), H.R. 5319, recently introduced to Congress by Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. This proposal is ridiculous. Simply telling schools and libraries to block certain sites will not “delete online predatorsâ€. Children can encounter predators anywhere. Are we prepared to ban churches, schools, shopping centers, playgrounds? Yes, we need to continue to seek solutions to online predators, but banning internet sites will not solve this problem.This bill just muddies the waters about what we truly need to address. It is an affront to educators of our nation. Children need to be well-versed in safety techniques and recognize inappropriate behavior on the Internet. Parents, educators and others need to develop a basic understanding of what’s on the Internet and how children use it . I sincerely hope that you will reject the premise and rationale for this bill. We must model safe and responsible use of the Internet. We MUST teach our students to think. To do this, we must reject these reactionary type proposals that would prevent educators and students from using social networking tools for educational purposes. Put the focus on resources that will help us continue to learn and educate students, parents and educators on how to deal with issues of safety in an open, responsible way.
I would very much appreciate a response from you on this matter. Thank you.