Social media lacks certain barriers, and parents have little access to view their children’s conversations, opening the door to topics that can be negative or inappropriate. 

“It’s almost like Lord of the Flies, where it gets so out of control so quickly,” Principal Shaun Tomeszewski said, referring to the novel by William Golding in which a group of boys are alone on an island with no adults. Similarly, social media has very little to no supervision. 

That’s where Common Sense Media training comes in. During second period for the next four Tuesdays, high school students will be participating in Common Sense media training. 

The Common Sense Media program educates students on what the risks of social media are, Tomaszewski said. 

“Common Sense Media holds a mirror up to teenagers to say this is what you’re doing,” he said.

Students and staff will run on an activity day schedule for these Tuesday sessions. Second period will still begin at 8:30 a.m., but it will last until 9:51 a.m., including the activity period. Other periods will be shortened to 34 minutes long. First period will not be affected due to the bus schedule.  

“We as a school district are a Common Sense Media school district, and for that recognition there are activities we have to engage the student body in,” Tomaszewski said. 

Baldwin students were not able to participate in these activities during the 2019-2020 school year due to COVID-19. The staff was not able to come up with an online substitute for the program. 

Grades 7-12 will be participating in the training. However, high school students will be participating in more sophisticated topics. 

The topics will include “Social Media and How You Feel,” “Counter Hate Speech Online,” “Who’s Looking at your Digital Footprint,” and “Online Disinhibition and Cyberbullying.” 

“Social media is not something we are completely immersed in,” Tomaszewski said referring to older generations. Common Sense Media Training works to “bridge the gap” between the younger and older generations.