Greetings Parents and Guardians:
We're pleased to announce on May 20, 2013, Louisville Male High School’s ninth graders will participate in Pause Before
You PostTM an awareness program from Jostens to encourage students to make smart decisions when self-publishing
through online social media. The program includes information about cyber-bullying. High-profile cases involving abuse of
the Internet has spurred us to teach our students more about publishing personal information, particularly when using
social media sites.
During homeroom students will:
 View an informative video featuring social media and cyberbullying experts Dr. Justin Patchin and Dr. Sameer
Hinduja.
 Students will participate in the Student’s Guide to Personal Publishing under the direction of their teachers.
 Students will be given ‘Pause’ pins to place on their backpacks or school ID lanyards, to prompt discussions
among students and remind them to “pause before they post.”
 Additionally, we have an online pledge to Pause Before You PostTM.
 We encourage you and your child to discuss the questions and consequences outlined below then make the
pledge to Pause Before You Post.
Why Pause Before You PostTM?
Many students are involved in creating content for the Internet by posting blogs, photos, comments, and other pieces of
information. Most of the time, this content is creative, interesting, educational, socially and culturally appropriate.
However, sometimes the postings may be irresponsible, hurtful, or otherwise inappropriate. Examples include
publically complaining online and sharing facts about identity and location through mobile phones and websites.
Bullying is a serious issue for all generations, but the latest “cyber-bullies” use technology to expand their reach and
extend their harm. This phenomenon is called cyber-bullying. Defined as: “willful and repeated harm inflicted through
the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices.”
This refers to incidents where people, including adolescents, use technology, computers or cell phones, to harass,
threaten, humiliate, or hassle their peers. Examples of cyber-bullying include sending hurtful text messages or
inappropriate photos, spreading rumors with blog entries, making fun of others on Facebook, posting private videos on
YouTube or otherwise misusing/sharing information online.
We believe it’s important for parents/guardians to be active in the online lives of their children to address inappropriate
behaviors before they magnify. Consider the following tips from Dr. Patchin and Dr. Hinduja:
 If you see your child has posted mean or hurtful comments or photos, discuss it with them rather than ignoring it.
 Talk with them about why it is wrong and how people may judge him or her based on what they see online.
 Reinforcement the positive values of respect and integrity; encourage children to show compassion for others in
real life and online.
Following Monday’s presentation, we’ll send another email with tips and suggestions on Pause Before You Post to
discuss with your child. For more detailed information and additional Q&A, visit Jostens.com/infotoknow.
Sincerely,
R. Ted Boehm, Principal
Louisville Male Traditional High School