Community Meeting to Discuss Students and Cyber Safety

State Representative Quintanilla, AT&T and Americas High School Host Community Meeting to Discuss Students and Cyber Safety

WHO: Representative Quintanilla, Americas High School Principal David Pena, Marsali Hancock, President of iKeepSafe (an online safety organization), and Deputy Sheriff Michael Armstrong, Texas DARE Training Coordinator (Bios provided)

WHAT: Introduction, to parents and students, of private sector initiatives to help students manage and protect their digital reputations.

WHEN: Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 6:30-8:00PM.

WHERE: Americas High School, 12101 Pellicano

El Paso, TX--Prior to the legislative session which convened earlier this year, Representative Quintanilla received a plea from a parent whose child had become a victim of sexting. The parent asked him to consider legislation that would assist parents and children in preventing others from falling victim to this and other internet dangers.

"After extensive conversation with legislative attorneys, fellow House members and cell phone companies, I realized amending the law would not be the answer to this major problem," Quintanilla said. "This community meeting is the product of many discussions with the telecommunications industry about my concerns for the young people who are vulnerable to the permanent pitfalls of sexting and other internet actions."

The program is a collaborative of iKeepsafe, AT&T and the American School Counselor Association. The intent of the collaborative is to prepare teens to protect and manage their digital reputations(see attached press release).

"It is my hope that this community meeting will be the start of a serious dialogue in El Paso between parents and teens on the dangers of permanently harming a student's opportunity to attend the best university or to gain the best employment. There is nothing I can do to reverse the consequences for the child of the parent with whom I spoke before the session. This is our effort toward honoring that request," said Quintanilla.