STATE COLLEGE – The State College School District Superintendent says after the recent event where Adam Hinton, 25, was arrested for possessing child pornography – they are looking at how they work to keep kids safe.
“It’s very unfortunate and disappointing,” says Dr. Bob O’Donnell. “We’re not interested in employing people who break the law.”
Dr. Bob O’Donnell, the district’s superintendent, says the district has many measures in place to assure children’s safety. They employ three area officers to work as School Resource Officers and when they’re hiring, they make sure employees – substitute and full-time – pass federal and state background checks.
“Why not take another hour and utilize Google, find out more about the person’s online activity,” Bill Latchford, an internet safety advocate, suggests.
He believes it is up to everyone in the community – both online and in real life- to look out for children.
“The internet and things like that are pretty much used as a babysitter,” says Latchford.
He says allowing children to be connected online all the time is not always the safest option especially when it serves as a place for predators to hide.
“The internet is just something that people say ‘Wow, I can really dig into my fantasy a little bit here and it’s virtual so I’m not hurting anyone.'”
Dr. O’Donnell says keeping children safe is their top priority every day.
“Safety of kids is the number one,” says O’Donnell. “It has to be. You can’t even begin to talk about developing a young person if they’re not in a safe environment.”
“It’s very unfortunate and disappointing,” says Dr. Bob O’Donnell. “We’re not interested in employing people who break the law.”
Dr. Bob O’Donnell, the district’s superintendent, says the district has many measures in place to assure children’s safety. They employ three area officers to work as School Resource Officers and when they’re hiring, they make sure employees – substitute and full-time – pass federal and state background checks.
“Why not take another hour and utilize Google, find out more about the person’s online activity,” Bill Latchford, an internet safety advocate, suggests.
He believes it is up to everyone in the community – both online and in real life- to look out for children.
“The internet and things like that are pretty much used as a babysitter,” says Latchford.
He says allowing children to be connected online all the time is not always the safest option especially when it serves as a place for predators to hide.
“The internet is just something that people say ‘Wow, I can really dig into my fantasy a little bit here and it’s virtual so I’m not hurting anyone.'”
Dr. O’Donnell says keeping children safe is their top priority every day.
“Safety of kids is the number one,” says O’Donnell. “It has to be. You can’t even begin to talk about developing a young person if they’re not in a safe environment.”
