As several Seawell Elementary School students ran out onto the courtyard for a P.E. class, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein walked down memory lane on his way to a fifth-grade assembly in the gym.

Stein, who attended the school in the 1970s, recounted stories from his childhood to principal Minnie Goins – about running off into areas further away from the school buildings.

“Usually we’d come back,” he said with a chuckle.

But as Stein told the students gathered together, many things have changed since he went to the school – a big difference being the prevalence of technology and the internet.

Stein’s visit to his old stomping grounds was the latest in his tours around elementary schools in North Carolina, as he discusses internet safety and moderation of screen time.

“Kids are kids, but the world in which we live is totally different,” he said afterward. “Parents like me don’t know what it’s like to be a kid today, because we didn’t experience it ourselves.”

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein speaks in the Seawell Elementary School gymnasium on February 24 about internet safety and moderation. CHCCS leaders like Principal Minnie Goins, Vice Chair of the Board of Education George Griffin, Deputy Superintendent Al Ciarochi and Chair of the Board of Education Rani Dasi stand to the side watching the address.

With a mental health crisis being reported for North Carolina’s teenagers – and social media playing a role – Stein and his office say they’re aiming to “get upstream” by talking with older elementary school students. The attorney general said the goal is for those children to have an open dialogue with their parents about internet use, best practices and balancing real life vs. what’s seen on social media.

“And by the way, this is a rule I have to follow at home too,” Stein said to the Seawell students. “We all have to set limits for ourselves and remember that there’s a lot of fun stuff out in the real world that is good to do too.”

To help spark those discussions, Stein’s office sends home cards with tips to stay safe while online. It also has a Family Tech Agreement that students and caretakers can sign together, which serves as a pledge to practice healthy communication and be aware of what information gets shared on the internet.

A copy of the Family Tech Agreement card shared to students by Attorney General Josh Stein’s office. The other side featured internet safety tips.

CHCCS Superintendent Nyah Hamlett said messages like Stein’s are an example of how she wants to help the school system be a bridge between home and classrooms for students. Internet safety matters to each child, she said, and Hamlett shared some ways the district aims to teach it.

“Of course, [we do it] through education with teachers and having conversations about safety online,” said the superintendent. “But being able to put information into parents’ hands [is helpful], so that they too can decide what is best for their child and guiding their household through online safety – what some of the do’s and don’ts are.”

Stein stressed to students he believes the internet is a tool and recognizes it is where children are increasingly spending their time. But the attorney general said he believes sparking broader conversations about the internet is also a helpful tool to nurture those students as they grow.

“This isn’t about [being] anti-internet, it’s about responsible internet [usage],” Stein added. “And what we want is for parents to have their conversation with their own kid about what they think is appropriate. That’s what this Family Tech Agreement is about. It’s letting parents set boundaries for their own children, so we can keep them safe, they don’t become addicted, or bad things happen to them.”

Internet safety advice from Stein’s office can be found on the state Department of Justice’s website.


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