Crompond SRO Focuses on Peer Pressure, Digital Citizenship for Red Ribbon Week

As part of Red Ribbon Week, School Resource Officer Brian Mundy is meeting with all Crompond students for a presentation about peer pressure and the importance of digital citizenship.

Officer Mundy started off his presentation by showing an image from the movie “A Christmas Story.” In the classic holiday film, a young student, acting on a “triple-dog dare,” sticks his tongue to a frozen flagpole… suffering some painful consequences as a result.

Officer Mundy said this fictional scene is a good example of what can happen when you give in to peer pressure. In addition to hurting yourself, Officer Mundy told the students that negative peer pressure can also lead to bad grades, losing friends, or getting in trouble with parents or the police.

“You don’t always have to fit in with the group,” Officer Mundy said. “It’s a good thing to be yourself.”

However, Officer Mundy said that not all peer pressure can be bad. Good friends can inspire others to enjoy new experiences or support them in achieving their goals.

Next, Officer Mundy talked about cellphones and the responsibility that students have to be good digital citizens. For example, he taught them how to recognize threatening messages, which should be immediately reported or shown to parents.

Officer Mundy also showed students how they can block phone numbers if they are receiving unwanted phone calls or text messages. He also stressed the importance of making sure their phones are locked if they are left unattended.

Red Ribbon Week is being celebrated across Yorktown Central School District with special events and daily themes to promote positive choices, good character, and healthy lifestyles.