Principal pans social media 'fairyland'
Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Monday, December 19, 2016
HAY RIVER
An award-winning educator from Hay River has a lesson for youth: stay away from social media.
Lynne Beck, principal of Diamond Jenness Secondary School, was presented Dec. 9 with the 2016 Ministerial Restorative Justice Award from the Department of Justice during the morning assembly of students.
Afterwards, she told News/North students should stay off social media.
"Because that usually does not help in any way," she said.
"We have talked in the past about kids having to walk in the Northwest Territories in two worlds, and I
am a firm believer that they now have to walk in three - the traditional, the modern and this social media fairyland.
"Quite honestly, because things are often represented in ways that just aren't real and to try to live up to these personas that people make, it's really, really tough."
Beck was honoured for establishing restorative justice practices at the school as an alternative form of discipline.
Beck said the restorative approaches to discipline exist because of the students' willingness to participate, along with the staff's support and assistance from the community.
"So it really does take a community to be able to move forward in a positive way," she said.
Isaac Isaiah, a Grade 11 student and the president of the student council at Diamond Jenness, praised the restorative practices at the school.
"I like how they go into the situations," he said. "They find out what's going on and deal with the people, because they can talk to them. It's like, 'What's going on? Can we help?'"
Isaiah said the school doesn't just sit around and do nothing.
"They actually go into action," he said. "They want to do something."
The award was presented by Steve Versteeg, manager of programs and projects at community justice and policing with the Department of Justice.
"I am very pleased to be here today to help recognize the contribution of your principal and acknowledge the difference she has made in your school by promoting peaceful solutions to everyday conflicts," Versteeg told the assembly.
Beck started using restorative justice principles - she calls them restorative practices - in 2008 when she was vice-principal of the school.
The system that Beck instituted focuses on bringing people together and repairing any harm done.
Beck said students are expected to respect each other's right to receive an education and to be able to maybe at some point mend their differences.
Any serious criminal matters, for example theft or drug possession, would go to the Hay River Youth Justice Committee.
