Statement on Internet and Gaming Safety
Have you heard your child talking about Fortnite, Minecraft, and Battle Royale? Gaming is everywhere and the Internet has changed the way students interact with each other and the world. Students love to compete with their friends and gaming has become one of the fastest growing social outlets for students, however, it is important for all of us to be involved in making sure our students are safe while on the Internet and while gaming.
Parental involvement is essential to help students achieve academically and Surry County Schools values the partnerships we have with parents to ensure our students are successful. Likewise, parental involvement is crucial to ensure students are safe while using the Internet and gaming at home and at school.
Recently, we have had some home gaming disagreements result in school conflicts. Thus, we encourage parents to be heavily involved with children when they are gaming at home to provide supervision and utilize safety features to keep students safe.
Some recommended tips for safe gaming include:
Know which safety features are available on the gaming equipment that your child uses - a headset may have voice-masking features, for example.
Keep gaming consoles in an easy-to-supervise location and be aware of other places where your child may be accessing games.
Tell your child never to give out personal information while gaming or agree to meet anyone outside of the game.
Set rules about how long your child may play, what types of games are appropriate, and who else may participate.
Have your child check with you before using a credit or debit card online.
Check to see if the games your child plays have reporting features or moderators.”1
Student safety is the highest priority for Surry County Schools and we encourage you to use this information as a springboard for conversations with your child about Internet and gaming safety. We stand ready to partner with you and appreciate everyone’s efforts to work with us as we emphasize Internet and gaming safety at school. If you have questions or need additional resources, please contact your child’s principal.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. (2009). NetSmartz.org/TipSheets