February 2002 — Editorial
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Educating the Web Community
Included on the site were solicitations for money from the rest of the students to hire a "hit man" to kill their teacher. The majority opinion from the Commonwealth Court, the state's lower court, was that the Web site disrupted the educational process and constituted a valid threat. The minority opinion noted the statements came from a child who had no intention of carrying out his fantasies. The student pulled the Web site upon learning so many people were annoyed. There is no deadline for when the state Supreme Court must rule on the case.We have the responsibility to prepare students to use the Web in a prudent and responsible manner. To accomplish the above, an institution's media specialist or librarian is very helpful. I am personally impressed with Joyce Kasman Valenza, the library information specialist at Springfield Township High School in Erdenheim, Pa., and what she d'es in educating teachers, students, parents and the community. She has a weekly column in the Philadelphia Inquirer, and gives talks and demonstrations on the use of the Web. She says: "Librarians are the information specialists, Web site developers, database experts, technology leaders, upholders of intellectual freedom, protectors of intellectual freedom and protectors of intellectual property." We need more people who can assume that responsibility.
