Online Harms Presentation

Good afternoon, Saranac High School Families,

Yesterday, our high school students participated in a presentation on sextortion and online safety in partnership with the New York State Police, Clinton County Child Advocacy Center, and the Department of Homeland Security.

The purpose of this presentation was to raise awareness and help prevent the online exploitation of children, both in our local communities and across the country. While these topics are difficult to discuss, they are incredibly relevant to teenagers today. Unfortunately, these are situations that schools, families, and law enforcement agencies are encountering far too often.

If you have not already done so, I strongly encourage you to have a conversation with your child about the dangers of social media, online platforms, and communicating with strangers online. As a principal and a parent myself, I cannot stress enough the importance of having honest, open, and ongoing conversations with our children. These conversations are essential to helping them recognize unsafe situations and feel comfortable asking for help when something does not seem right.

I also want to emphasize that if your child ever becomes a victim of online exploitation, please contact your local law enforcement agency. It is important that our children know they can come forward without fear of judgment or embarrassment. Students who become victims should never feel ashamed or afraid to ask for help. Sextortion often relies on fear, embarrassment, and threats to keep young people silent. Reinforcing that adults will help rather than punish them is especially important.

I have said it before, and I will say it again: I have serious concerns about the impact of social media on our children, particularly platforms like Snapchat and TikTok. As both a principal and a parent, I stand by that wholeheartedly. If you choose to allow your child to use these platforms, I strongly encourage you to remain actively involved, monitor their online activity, and establish clear expectations for safe and responsible use.

At the end of the day, we all want the same thing: to keep our children safe. Thank you for your continued partnership in helping us do just that.

Thank you,
Stephanie Murphy
Building Principal