You’re Invited: Attorney General McCollum to Visit Broward Oct. 11 for Local Launch of Statewide Cybersafety Curriculum

Above:  Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum

You’re Invited

Thursday, October 11, 2007
8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Miramar Town Center/Miramar City Hall
2300 Civic Center Place
Miramar, FL 33025

RSVP Required by October 5 for this complimentary event
jpierce@cftlaw.com or (954) 892-0817

Registration begins at 7:30 a.m.

• For an event flyer, click here:

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Florida Attorney General To Visit Broward Oct. 11 For Local Launch Of Statewide Cybersafety Curriculum

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum will introduce his school cybersafety education curriculum to Broward County on Oct. 11, 2007. 

McCollum’s Broward appearance, part of a statewide tour to promote the program that began last month, will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Miramar Town Center/City Hall. 

“Broward will be unique among other Florida counties in gathering community support for the Attorney General and his message well in advance of his visit,” event chairman Mike Colodny explained.

An invited audience of educators, child advocates and community leaders will learn about the program directly from the Attorney General and be encouraged to register their schools to participate. 

Through the collaborative efforts of law firm Colodny Fass and Florida’s Children First president Howard Talenfeld, McCollum’s Broward appearance will facilitate his outreach by pooling the strengths of existing local and national resources.  Comcast and Broward County Public Schools are among the slate of supporters, along with Children’s Services Council of Broward County and North Broward Hospital District.

“The Internet presents an entirely new and secretive front for sexual predators to initiate their crimes against children,” Talenfeld said.  “It’s critical for children and educators to obtain this specific education from Attorney General McCollum’s Workshop.”

The half-day slate of event speakers in order of their scheduled appearance is as follows:

• Bill McCollum, Florida Attorney General
• Wil Hernandez, Office of the Florida Attorney General
• Jim Notter, Broward County Superintendent of Schools
• The Honorable Jennifer Gottlieb, Broward County School Board Member
• Howard M. Talenfeld, president of Florida’s Children First
• Representatives from Comcast ‘s “Point Smart, Click Safe” program

For event information, contact Jennifer J.H. Pierce at (954) 892-0817 jpierce@cftlaw.com

An event invitation and press release is attached.

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An open letter to parents from Attorney General McCollum is below:

Article published Aug 20, 2007
Tallahassee Democrat

Make the Internet safer for kids

Dear Parent,

While I campaigned to become your attorney general, my promise was to make Florida a safer place to live, work and raise a family. Protecting our children from Internet predators, who seek to prey on a child emotionally and physically, is my No. 1 priority.

During my first six months in office, I sought to deter predatory crimes against children and severely punish those who target our children online. In addition, my office requested and received funding to expand our Child Predator CyberCrime Unit from one office to seven offices statewide. Similar expansion is now under way around the state.

Yet there is more to do. An educational component for cyber safety is vital to further protect our children. With the start of the new school year, my goal is for all middle- and high-school students to receive cyber safety education as part of their school curriculum.

My office has partnered with the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, and we are inviting all Florida principals to register their schools for the Attorney General’s Cyber Safety Program. This program will give students the tools they need to be safe online.

Today’s students are part of the technology generation and will experience a limitless supply of information and entertainment on the internet.

We must all understand the hidden dangers when our children chat online or post personal information on Web sites. For more information, go to www.safeflorida.net/safesurf.

Together we can help ensure the Internet is safe, secure, enlightening and fun.

BILL McCOLLUM
Attorney General of Florida