As part of my doctoral thesis, recent research was conducted with both the boys and staff within the school focussed on character education and mentoring. We are also currently part of the “Thriving Schools and Schools of Tomorrow” and the “Excellence in South African Schools” initiatives, where research statistics from international, national, and regional sources are providing an indication of how we are doing overall.
Whilst many of the results are very pleasing, there are a number of issues that are cause for concern. Two of these are the potentially severe health impact of vaping, and the detrimental impacts of social media.
These concerns need to be acted upon by parents, staff, and especially boys, who are ultimately making the decisions. We, as adults, need to provide guidance and support, and at the same time, inform the boys of the consequences of poor decision-making.
VAPING
A headline on 23 November: Vaping among South Africa’s youth: A ticking time bomb
The results of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), which surveyed tobacco use by people older than 15 years in South Africa, were released in May. Key findings showed that e-cigarettes are most popular among the 15 to 24 age group.
Background:
A study of more than 5 500 high school learners by Prof Richard van Zyl-Smit, pulmonologist at the University of Cape Town, revealed the following:
- 30% of learners use an electronic smoking device within an hour of waking up
- 25% cannot get through a school day without vaping
- 40% of matrics are vaping
- There has been 100% increase in vaping since 2012
- Grade 6 and 7 pupils are vaping and can purchase supplies freely, as there are no age restrictions for this
- Nicotine levels within the vaping liquids the students are inhaling are exceptionally high, and because of the pleasant flavours vapes offer, learners are exposing themselves to higher nicotine levels than what they would be if they were to smoke the odd cigarette
- Vaping helps to deal with stress and anxiety
- Very few participants point to social pressures as the reason for taking up the habit
- Whether vaping is safer than smoking cigarettes is not a debate that should be happening at school levels, as it is irrelevant. The real concern is exposure to nicotine.
- Adolescent brains have synaptic plasticity (that’s why teenagers learn new tasks much quicker than adults), and nicotine can interfere with this, hindering learning development
- E-cigarettes are undoubtedly harmful. A growing body of evidence confirms that e-cigarette use is linked to severe health conditions, including cancers, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, chest pains, mouth ulcers, asthma, and a high risk of strokes
- Vaping is a gateway to other devices. Young people who use e-cigarettes are more likely to smoke regular cigarettes and use other drugs in the future.
- Seven out of 10 South Africans start smoking before the age of 18.
Vaping at College
Following a recent amnesty within the BE:
- More than 100 vapes were handed in, 30 from Elliott House
- The cost of these is around R90 – R400 each
- There have been 18 disciplinary cases associated with vaping this year, of which 8 have been in Term 4
- In the BE, five boys have been suspended for the use or possession of vapes
What can be done to address this?
- Boys need to ensure that they make good, healthy, informed choices about what they put into their bodies.
- Parents need to monitor what their sons are doing and deal with any concerns, seeking advice and guidance.
- As a school we will continue to monitor and address this.
DANGERS OF SOCIAL MEDIA (#well-connectedteenagers)
Recently I shared key points from Ms. Christie Herselman’s presentations to parents, staff and boys, on the potential risks associated with social media abuse. I would like to reiterate a few of these points:
Mobile devices can cause harm impacting:
Your body
- Dopamine surge
- Brain wiring
- Sleep patterns
- Negatively affecting both academic and sporting performance.
Your mental health
- Anxiety and depression
- Hostility and hate (racism, homophobia, misogyny)
- Toxic relationships (catfishing, sexual grooming, toxic communities).
Your relationships
- Isolating boys from real relationships (staying in bedrooms on their phones in a pseudo community)
- Objectification
- Negatively affecting social skills
Your sexual health
- One of the biggest threats is online porn.
- Porn affects the brain and shapes the way we view sex. Porn provides a super-normal stimulus with huge surges of dopamine. Over time, it requires more stimulus.
- The average age that a SA child is exposed to porn is 11, and 57% of teens search out porn at least monthly.
- 80% of porn is viewed on a mobile phone.
- 88% of porn contains physical aggression and 90% of that violence is against women. 95% of those women have a neutral or pleasurable response to that violence.
- 89% of 18-25-year-olds in a US survey thought porn was fine – it has become normalised by social media.
Your reputation and your future
- What you post on social media channels can impact your future leaving an indelible digital footprint. Nothing is deleted on the internet
- What you post can have legal implications. The age of full criminal capacity is 14.
- What you post on social media shapes how others view you.
What can the boys do?
- Lead yourself: Take control of your digital life
- Involve your parents or caregivers: Put filtering software on your phone (Safesurfer, Bark, Google Family)
- Get help when you need it
What can parents do?
- Be present in your son’s lives
- Install an app to monitor his screen time – show him that you care
- Have the difficult conversations
What will the school do?
- Continue to guide and inform boys of the dangers etc
- Punish boys who contravene the code of conduct
- All BE boys will have a filtering app installed by start of 2023 – the minimum Google Family
Let us ensure we all work together in keeping our boys safe and informed
Pro Aris et Focis
CL Luman (Headmaster)