Research shows technology could lead to violent threats among students, Richmond school board to vote
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Richmond school leaders say technology use in the classroom could lead to violence among students prompting a discussion about limited cell phone use in schools.
At Monday night’s school board meeting, Jonathan Yong said there will be a discussion over research that a committee found on technology use in schools.
The Digital Working Group — a committee made up of teachers, staff, students and parents — used a search engine software to find 4,400 threats made online by students last school year. Of those threats, about 3,500 were violent, according to Young.
A majority of the threats were among middle and high school students, according to the committee’s findings.
Young said the threats were made inside and outside of the classroom using multiple social media platforms and devices.
In light of the committee’s findings, Young told 8News he wants to eventually propose a cell phone ban, similar to what Hopewell City Public Schools implemented this year.
“In this moment we are lost. We are confused. We are broken and our students unfortunately on the front lines of that,” he said.
Richmond Public Schools administered a survey to teachers and staff for the 2021-2022 academic year. The survey received 2,100 responses from teachers and staff. It showed that 56% of teachers feel safe at school. At George Wythe High School, the responses showed that only 14% of its teachers who took the survey felt safe.
“Our teachers are clamoring for help. They’re crying out for help on this subject. And to connect all the dots, too few of our teachers and too few of our students in a recent survey said they feel safe in the buildings,” Young said.
Gloss