Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current, December 21, 2016, Image 12

Historic Oregon Newspapers

Polk County itemizer observer., December 21, 2016, Page 12A, Image 12

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 2016)

Prev Page of 12 Prev Issue Next Text PDF JP2 (1.3 MB) Clip/Print Image

Return to Top

Prev Page of 12 Prev Issue Next

Newspaper Page TextPolk County Education 12A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • December 21, 2016 Falls City schools decline additional social media moderation By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer FALLS CITY — The Falls City School District decided to pass on implementing a program to “data mine” and monitor social media activi- ty within its boundaries or about its schools. Called “location-based social media monitoring,” the service uses software available through several companies to collect social media posts containing key words designated by the school district or agency. Falls City Superintendent Jack Thompson said exam- ples include searching for the words “gun” or “suicide” a n d “ Fa l l s C i t y H i g h School.” “We would be able to see what’s going on, what’s being posted on Facebook and all these kinds of things,” he said. Thompson said, at first glance, it seems like a useful tool for early intervention in possible school violence or for students contemplating harming themselves. “The issue with it is you have to monitor it,” he said. “If you choose to use it, you have to monitor it, which means we have to an em- ployee monitor all of the Facebook posts and every- thing else that this thing data mines.” An assessment by lawyers for the Willamette Education Service District, to which the district belongs, said dis- tricts that use the software could put themselves at Hang on! EMILY MENTZER/Itemizer-Observer Zeke, Chloe and Ruby Halligan (front to back) sled down Sacre Lane in Monmouth on Thursday. A Pleasant Place to Buy or Sell Your RV CALL TODAY FOR A NO-CHARGE EVALUATION. OPEN WEEK! A Y A 7 D S 9-6 • Sat 9-5 i Mon-Fr un 10-4 S Rick 503-437-5398 Ruben 503-915-2080 4075 NE Three Mile Lane, McMinnville, OR www.macrvsales.com Next to the Spruce Goose Aviation Museum macrvsales@gmail.com legal risk. Paul A. Dakopolos, of Gar- rett Hemann Robertson, which represents the WESD, wrote in his analysis of using the program that there is nothing illegal about collect- ing information posted on social media because Ore- gon courts have found users “don’t have a reasonable ex- pectation of privacy in the information that they post publicly.” “On the other hand, if a district makes the choice to use a service … then fails to take appropriate action on a known threat to a school … there may be liability of the district’s failure to act,” Dakopolos wrote. School officials believe there is a less-intrusive way to gather the same informa- tion: Maintaining close rela- tionships with students and parents. Jami Kidd, Falls City School Board chairwoman, said Falls City is a close-knit community where school employees know and take an interest in students. Sh e a d d e d s o m e o n e probably already knows a student is struggling before they would post it to social media. Thompson had another concern about the use of the software. “For me, I look at this and I’m not ready for school dis- tricts to be big brother. I’m really not,” he said. “Police agencies have been using in- formation like this for years. In my personal opinion, this is not an area that schools need to get into.”