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Today's Poll: How much do you let your children use the internet?

By Howard B. Owens
Mark Potwora

One thing for sure is that kids using the internet at the Batavia High school isn't making them any smarter..BuffaloFrist has ranked the school worst than last year...Notre Dame was rated in the top ten..

Ranks of WNY's High Schools (2007-2010)
2010 rankAscending High school District Affiliation 2009 rank 2008 rank 2007 rank
9 Notre Dame HS Batavia Catholic 7 8 25
61 Batavia HS Batavia Public 56 57 59

Read more: Four years of high school rankings - Business First of Buffalo

Jun 10, 2010, 11:00am Permalink

That's not what that report is only, Mark. There is much more to it than just that in their rankings, so let's not insult the intelligence of our kids on a baseless report.

Batavia is 61/133 which is still pretty good.

Instead how about we gives congrats to Notre Dame on a nice recoginition.

Jun 10, 2010, 12:35pm Permalink
Mark Potwora

Phil i did give congrats to Notre Dame...Great job..I think BHS should find out what they to do to get such a great ranking...61/133 is middle of the road,I wouldn't call that pretty good,especially since they were 56 last year,that is getting worst..Seems like every year they get worst...

Jun 10, 2010, 12:44pm Permalink

Actually, five years ago they were ranked somewhere around 80, so they have improved.

The better question is what are they using to rank? They are not just using grades. Are they factoring Special Needs? Did you ever notice that they don't print how they come up with these rankings? I have asked three years now and I never get a response.

I just think that lists are fun to look at, but I don't hold much weight into them. That said, I don't want to take away from Notre Dame's success.

Jun 10, 2010, 12:53pm Permalink

I really don't know, John. If Mark says so, I'm sure he is right.

I don't really pay that much attention to this, because I like I said, I don't hold much weight in it. What I do hold weight in, is that my daughter has had a great year and has learned a ton. Ahead of her grade!

This list to me, has always been for people who have nothing invested. It's easy to look at a number and judge, instead of actually learning about what the programs do.

BusinessFirst has never published where they source from or how they compile. To me that's as good as a top 100 songs of the 90's kind of deal.

Although like I have said, I think it's pretty cool that Notre Dame has done so well.

Jun 10, 2010, 1:20pm Permalink
JoAnne Rock

I agree with Phil. I wouldn't put too much stock in that report either.

Many BHS alumni have gone on to very successful and distinguished careers, while others have not. The important thing is that educational opportunities exist for all students. If a student does not take advantage of those opportunities you can't blame the school. The student has to accept some responsibility for making the most of their school years.

Jun 10, 2010, 1:47pm Permalink
George Richardson

"Those are some of the sites I'm browsing on a daily basis."
Chris, you better stop that or I'm going to tell Steve Jobs and your Mama and Obama. If you keep it up you'll be voting Democrat someday and will have to move to West Batavia against your will. Of course it will be against your will, who would move to West Batavia of their own free choice? Well, I mean except for people in Corfu.
I think the internet is a tool of Satan and I'm under his total control.

Jun 10, 2010, 4:28pm Permalink
Dave Olsen

The internet doesn't maker you any smarter or dumber, it's just the information superhighway to more information, how you use that information is what might make one smarter. Dumb is just dumb. As far as children and the internet go, parents just have to be nosy if you don't know how, learn how to find out where they've been and talk with them about why something is good or bad. You can't save them from everything including themselves, but you can help steer them right and keep the communication open. It's a big, wide world which includes good and bad, everything can be a learning experience. Signed; Ward Cleaver (not hardly)

Jun 10, 2010, 4:52pm Permalink
Jeremiah Pedro

Saying that the internet makes someone smarter or dumber is kind of funny. That would be like saying the library makes someone smarter or dumber. The instrument is not doing anything other than just existing. It is how one uses the instrument that determines whether they will increase or decrease in intelligence.

With that being said I'll make a comment on the topic of the poll. Howard, I think you left out a choice. "my children are not old enough to use the internet."
That is the choice I would have made. My three children are ages 4 years old, 1 1/2 years old and finally 3 months old.

Jun 11, 2010, 12:32pm Permalink
Brian Heick

The internet is perfectly safe... Kidding. My kiddo may not be old enough to type on a keyboard and his favorite button happens to be the one that turns my computer off. It is more than safe to say that young-ins with free roam of the internet are bound to come across something that parents would rather they not see.

Internet + Children... Supervision required.

I know I wouldn't want children browsing my web site for some of the content and language that is on it.

Jun 15, 2010, 5:04pm Permalink

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