Wynberg’s Pastoral team and staff grapple with two areas of deep concern. Neither is new, but they need to be raised regularly in ongoing education as reminders to keep our boys safe.
Vaping
Vape products being used by boys invariably contain nicotine – often in unregulated amounts.
Nicotine is an addictive drug. Its use is illegal by anyone under the age of 18 years, and for good reason. It is a Central Nervous System stimulant, and like all addictive drugs, changes the structure and functioning of the brain. It is considered by many to be one of the five most addictive drugs available.
Vaping exposes our young adults to nicotine at a time when their brains are most at risk for addiction– this is why an age limit on its use exists. Long-term vaping of nicotine products reduces attention span and can impact academic performance. It may lead to anxiety and depression or aggravate it, and it doesn’t end there- barely an organ system in the body can escape its negative influence.
Boys will be quick to tell you that it is ‘safer than smoking’. The first question to ask yourself is whether your child would even be considering smoking cigarettes if vapes did not exist. The vape industry has very cleverly hooked its next generation of addicts through clever marketing specifically designed to target our children.
The next question should be about the safety of the product they are consuming. The vape industry is not regulated. There is no legislation around the amount of nicotine in vapes, nor is there regulation in terms of the additives (flavourings and chemicals). One pack of 20 cigarettes typically offers 20mg of inhaled nicotine. One disposable vape can contain up to 200mg of nicotine. Do the maths.
The vape industry is only around 20 years old and already major health concerns (lung injuries) are being recorded. It took the tobacco industry close to 100 years to recognise that smoking cigarettes causes irreparable harm and cancer.
As parents, we urge you to familiarise yourselves with risks associated with teen vaping and to look for opportunities to discuss vaping with your sons, if you know or suspect they are being used, or being offered socially by their peers.
Vape products have no place on a school campus and vaping on the premises will attract serious consequences. These same consequences will also apply to boys who are in the company of a boy vaping.
Please support us in trying to protect your sons from the potential health risks associated with vaping.
Social Media Misuse
We recognise that social media plays a significant role in our boys’ lives and that our school uses it when communicating with you. However, without proper guidance, the different platforms expose our boys to risks such as cyberbullying, online predators, misinformation, and potential emotional distress.
When I shared feedback from a digital expert who visited the school in May, I never imagined that in the six months that followed, we would find ourselves trying to contain numerous situations where boys had made poor choices online.
The points shared in the newsletter of 3 May 2024 are listed below. Each and every point of caution has unfortunately played out in the homes of some of our Wynberg families, and so, a reminder:
It is against the law to:
share the private information of others in the form of images (videos, photographs, memes, stickers, animated representations, etc.), as well as contact details and location.
fail to speak out against hate speech, bullying, incitement to violence, etc. when part of a chat group (eg WhatsApp). You will be regarded as complicit.
post hate speech/racist comments directed at an individual or group, privately or otherwise, on social media platforms.
fail to delete hate speech and/or block individuals who seek to post material that contravenes SA law if you are an admin of a chat group.
record and share acts of violence against a child (e.g. a break-time fight).
take and share images of persons under the age of 18, that are sexual in nature. This amounts to the ‘possession and distribution of child pornography’. This stands irrespective of whether consensual permission was granted. If found guilty this could result in a criminal record and a listing on the Sexual Offenders list.
It was emphasised to our boys at the time that anyone over the age of 14 could be prosecuted as an adult.
We will continue to educate and remind about responsible digital use but believe that the most effective solution is collaboration between the school and home.
Please discuss online etiquette regularly and consider limiting screen time, particularly late into the night.
Remind your sons that once they share something online, they lose control of who will see it and will find it difficult to remove permanently. Multiple examples can be seen in the media of reckless social media activity costing young professionals their position in a company or opportunities later in life.
Of grave concern is the trend among boys posting photographs of themselves in compromising situations while identifiable as WBHS students. This tarnishes and negates our school’s excellent reputation in the greater community. Please caution them about doing this.
Lastly, if you notice any signs of distress in your son or unusual behaviour, it may indicate online activity that is undesirable. Please encourage your boys to report any incidents of cyberbullying or inappropriate online behaviour so that we may act.
Protecting a bully or choosing to ignore what is wrong, gives licence for the activity to continue. Loyalty to friends or peers cannot take precedence over doing what is right.
We need our boys to step up as Wynberg men and call out those who seek to destroy their self-esteem and confidence. Doing so is not an act of betrayal of friendship but rather an act of courage and integrity.
If you have any questions or need support on this, the WBHS Counselling Team is available, skilled, and ready to assist.
Fiona Earl
Vice-Principal, Pastoral
