www.roanoke.com

Classes were held this week at Read Mountain Middle School and ranged from Art to Spanish to Science to governmental law and a trip to the Chesapeake Bay for one group, but for the gifted and talented middle school students, it was fun to be back in school! One group tackled Censorship and the Internet.

Karen Busher's class explored censorship and the Internet. Each student was given the opportunity to formulate an opinion on some of the content on the Internet that lawmakers and others have said should not be allowed.

They looked at different sources finding Wikipedia to be an unreliable source of information. Because of their youth the know that the Internet can be a potentially dangerous and terrifying place for children who get into websites and chat rooms that are hurtful in their approach to children.

Of the six students, four decided that the Internet should be censored. there are sites that have no redeeming societal value particularly with the safety of children in mind. Two said they believed the Internet should be monitored by parents and adults to keep the inappropriate materials away from children.

Cody Carson said, I think there are bad things on the Internet, but we must let adults make choices for their kids." Emily Amos said, "Things that are damaging to children should not be on the Internet."

They made to two minute infomercials in order to explain both points of view.
The students in the class are Toni Costanzo, Katelyn Forbish, Cody Carson, Casey Parshall, Emily Amos and Chris Thrasher.

We had a post June 17 about the Chesapeake Bay trip. Our last post about Read Mountain Middle School was June 10.