A serious message about online challenges. Think Before you Scare
What should we do with online challenges and scare shares? No doubt you have heard about ‘that thing” on the news and social media recently.
The best thing to do is not to talk about it. The more we share the more damage we create.
“Whilst sharing warning about specific risks, apps or trends is often done with good intentions; it can pose risks. Sharing content, either electronically or otherwise, that is unverified or unrealistic can unintentionally have harmful consequences. A blog post which explores how adults such as school, parents or other agencies, responding to viral stories with a rushed response can cause additional issues is available on Cybertrauma, a blog by Cath Knibbs, a Child & Adult Psychotherapist. Below is an edited letter template from scareletter.lgfl.net.”
I have also have a poster to easily share with others.
Stay safe!
Aaron
4 March 2019
Dear parent/carer,
Seeing and sharing scary things online
Keeping children safe is a top priority for everyone, whether on school premises or beyond, and this of course extends to the online world (although actually our online and offline lives are so blurred that it’s not always helpful to use this distinction).
In all we do, however, we should always focus on the positives of the online world. We recognise that technology is here to stay and pupils at our school live, love and learn through their tech.
What we would like to encourage you to do, though, is to talk to your children about what they get up to online.
Please take time to talk to them over the next few weeks about what they do on their devices and with whom, what they love, and what worries them. Why not get them to show or teach you how to use one of their apps, sites or games? The key thing is to stay positive, be real about the risks and make sure they know who they can talk to if they are unsure.
There are plenty of things to be aware of online, but if you are warning them about risks and dangers, please don’t show them scary images or tell them the names of ‘bad apps’ (all apps can be good or bad) or challenges/dares to avoid. If you do, that can scare them even more or encourage them to go and google it later!
In the past week there have been many press stories about a particular nasty challenge circulating with a scary image on social media. These stories are based on an urban myth / hoax which circulates every few months. Whether that is the case or not, please do not show any scary images from the newspapers to your children in order to talk about it, and do not mention the challenge by name. Instead, as above, talk about what to do if they see something scary or someone dares them to do something stupid or dangerous; ask them if they would tell someone and who; make sure they know never to forward these things to their classmates.
Let’s work together to avoid unnecessary sleepless nights.
Kind regards,
Aaron Maoate
Poll: 🗑️ Would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Aucklanders, our weekly rubbish collections are staying after councillors voted to scrap a proposed trial of fortnightly pick-ups.
We want to hear from you: would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Keen for the details? Read up about the scrapped collection trial here.
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83.1% Same!
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16.9% Would have liked to try something different
Poll: Is it ok to regift something that you have been given?
🎁 Holiday Gift Chat!
Do you ever regift?
What’s your take on asking for a receipt if a gift doesn’t fit?
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79.3% Yes! It's better to regift what I don't need
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20.7% No. It's the thought and effort that matters
By-election for Otara-Papatoetoe area
Just to let everyone know that we have another by-election happening, and here is the reason why. Below are details and dates, so keep an eye on your letter boxes.
The Manukau Court’s Ruling
The Manukau District Court determined that the Papatoetoe subdivision result of the Ōtara–Papatoetoe Local Board election was invalid, ruling that the outcome had been “materially affected” by voting irregularities. Judge Richard McIlraith found that the scale and nature of the irregularities met the legal threshold required to void an election under New Zealand’s local electoral laws.
In his decision, Judge McIlraith stated that the evidence presented — including reports of stolen voting papers, fraudulent use of ballots, and other procedural irregularities — was sufficient to conclude that the integrity of the election had been compromised. The court noted that at least 79 voting papers were identified as having been cast without the rightful voter’s knowledge during a judicially supervised examination of ballot boxes.
While the judge acknowledged that the election had been administered “properly and in accordance with all requirements” by Independent Election Services and the electoral officer, he concluded that the fraudulent activity originated outside the official process and nonetheless impacted the final result to a degree that required the election to be voided.
As a result of the ruling, the court ordered that a new election must be held, with Auckland Council confirming that the fresh poll must be completed by 9 April 2026
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