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March 29, 2018
I
NKSTER
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LYMOUTH
Legislator attends conference
Scott Levely, CEO of Growth
Works, agrees that the long-term
impact of socialmedia can't be pre-
dicted.
“I think we're already seeing
some impact, particularly for kids,”
said Levely, who heads the family
services and chemical dependency
organization that dates to the early
1970s. “I think there's a level of
maturity that's needed to handle
that kind of pressure responsibly.”
Social media threats have
recently shut down the Wayne-
Westland Community Schools as
well as early dismissals in the
Northville district. A threat on
walls in two lavatories prompted a
“soft lockdown” at the Plymouth-
Canton Community Schools' high
school complex.
In the Plymouth-Canton case, a
17-year-old youth faces two counts
of making a false report or threat
of terrorism and two counts of
making a bomb threat.
Levely and his colleagues find
teens often are impulsive which
leads “into expecting instant grati-
fication.” Young people are often
impatient, he said, and don't
understandnuance.
“Kids don't always understand
the impact of leaving that trail on
social media,” said Levely, adding
as an adult he, too, finds the
Internet affects his concentration.
Students on social media often
post illegal behavior, and the sites
are “sort of a dark place. It makes
it difficult for parents, adults to
knowwhat's going on.”
If young people seek self-affir-
mation via social media, Levely
said, “it can become pretty devas-
tatingwhen suddenly it's negative.”
Growth Works started in
Plymouth, expanded into Canton
with its growth, and now serves the
region. The agency works with
school districts by having groups
that help troubled youth focus on
their behavior, although not specif-
ically for social media use, the
CEOsaid.
“I think it's addressed indirectly
with the kids. On the other hand,
there are good things out there,”
said Levely, citing psychological
health and substance abuse recov-
ery tools online.
At 24, Rachel von Pagels, case
manager for Westland Youth
Assistance, sees children being
bullied on social media as young
as age 8 or 9.
“It seems like it's a very difficult
topic for parents and staff at
schools to address,” said von
Pagels, also a graduate student in a
master of social work program at
Eastern Michigan University. “I
think focusing on the here andnow
woulddefinitely be a better tactic.”
She agreed adults need to focus
on youth suicide prevention relat-
ed to online bullying, rather than
just cautionary tales on college
acceptance and careers.
“Most of the time, kids find
other ways to use it,” said von
Pagels, who doesn't favor parents
totally banning social media use.
She saw some impact in high
school, not really in middle school,
and noted the growth of mediums
is problematic.
“That's where parents are hav-
ing a challenge,” said von Pagels,
who sees social media as hurting
people's empathy abilities.
She favors facilitating open
communication, “instead of being
more close-minded or standoffish.”
Boundaries like giving a parent a
phone each night by 9 p.m. are
helpful, as are device-free dinners.
“I think we have to lead by
example as well, which is really
important,” she noted of adult
media use.
Brain research is revealing
development continues on up to
about age 25, which Levely sees.
“It's impulse and judgment, just
like it is with other issues. They
think they're immune from that
(consequences). As we get older,
we understand there are things we
need to be discreet about,” he said.
Levely voices broader concerns
about the Internet leading to “lack
of judgment. Anonymity allows
people to kind of vent things they
wouldn't otherwise say to some-
one. But that's more about adults
than kids.”
The recent school shooting in
Parkland, Florida, and others
worry parents and other adults.
OK2SAY is a program designed
to encourage Michigan students to
share and respond to anything that
threatens their safety or the safety
of others.
With support from Attorney
General Bill Schuette, the
Michigan State Police, local law
enforcement, schools, the health
community, and others, there are
processes to help students submit
confidential tips regarding crimi-
nal activities or harmful behavior.
When von Pagels was in high
school, her parents had her pass-
words but were also respectful of
her, focusing on her behavior. Of
children and teens, she noted,
“They're using the technology way
earlier, which is scary. Now more
than ever, it's important to be trans-
parent. A comfortable space for
them to communicate with their
parents is huge.”
Following Plymouth-Canton's
recent “soft lockdown,” Canton
Township Trustee Anne Marie
Graham-Hudak, at a board meet-
ing, praisedPublic Safety staff.
“Thanks for keeping our kids
safe,” said Graham-Hudak, a dis-
trict parent. “Scary situations right
now.”
State Rep. Jewell Jones (D-Inkster)
attended the 2018 Justice Reform and
Community Reinvestment Policy
Academy in New Orleans recently.
Sponsored by the People For the
American Way Foundation Young Elected
Officials Network, the policy academy was
an intensive weekend conference. Jones,
along with fellow progressive elected offi-
cials from across the nation, discussed the
failures of the justice system and strate-
gies to address the inequities, trauma and
public health crises that contribute to both
crime andmass incarceration.
“Reforming the criminal justice system
to make it more fair to minority youth has
been one of my top priorities in the
Legislature, which is why I've introduced
legislation to expunge the records of peo-
ple who were arrested because of mistak-
en identity or identity theft and to take a
closer look at which juveniles get charged
as adults,” Jones said. “I look forward to
learning more about criminal justice
reform efforts taking place around the
country and how they might be applied
here in Michigan,” he added prior to his
attendance at the conference.
Julie Brown
Special Writer
It seems like it's a
very difficult topic for parents and staff
at schools to address.
”
Counselors weigh impact of social media on teens
In another incident, one firefighter suf-
fered non-life threatening neck and back
injuries in a Monday afternoon fire
believed to have started from a wood
burning stove. The home located on
Rocker Street required mutual aid from
three area fire departments. Canton
Township, Northville-Plymouth and
Northville Township departments
responded providing a total complement
of 16 firefighters.
Plymouth Township Fire Chief Dan
Phillips said his first units arrived within
7 minutes after the first call was received
at 5:01 p.m. Personnel from township sta-
tion one and station two were first to
arrive with four firefighters. Station three
personnel were attending another emer-
gency call.
Phillips said while the fire was under
control in 30 minutes the firefighters were
on-scene for 3 hours.
Both fires remainunder investigation.
Fires
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