Kilmartin and Cox Kick Off School Program at Esek Hopkins Middle School in Providence
With three in 10 teens being bullied online according to a recent poll, Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin is teaming up with Cox Communications to teach young children how to "TakeCharge! of Online Bullying" in a new public service campaign and visits to junior high schools and community agencies across the state. The launch of the campaign coincides with National Internet Safety Month.
Attorney General Kilmartin will kick off the partnership with Cox by speaking to 7th grade students at Esek Hopkins Middle School in Providence, where he will joined by Cox Communications Senior Vice President and General Manager John Wolfe and Sarah Murray, a soon to be graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School in Providence, who will share her story of being bullied as a teenager. At the end of the discussion, the 7th grade class will sign a pledge to not bully and to report bullying to an adult.
In addition, Cox Communications will premiere a new public service announcement that reminds parents of the importance of talking to children about online activity and directs them to the TakeCharge! website (http://www.cox.com/aboutus/takecharge.cox) for helpful tips and ways to talk to kids about the issue.
What: Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin and Cox Communication to launch a new campaign to teach kids the dangers of cyberbullying. The Esek Hopkins 7th graders will sign a pledge to not bully and to report bullying to an adult.
Where: Esek Hopkins Middle School, 480 Charles Street, Providence
When: Wednesday, June 11, 2014, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Why: According to a survey by Cox Communications and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), online bullying, or cyberbullying, is a serious concern for teens and their parents, yet many teens are not telling their parents about their experiences.
Key trends among the Rhode Island teens surveyed include:
Three in 10 teens claim to have been bullied online (32 percent)
One in 10 admits to have bullied someone online (10 percent)
Of teens who admit to being bullied online, only 61 percent have told an adult
Photo Op: Esek Hopkins 7th graders will sign a large colorful pledge board that has them promise not to bully and to report bullying to an adult.
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