Decorah native is giving kids the tools to combat online harassment

If you're a parent, you probably know how popular Facebook and other on-line services are among those who are the same age as your kids.  What you might not know is how quickly an on-line posting can spread.

Decorah native Kim Karr, who now works as a middle school leadership in the San Francisco area, saw this first-hand when a fake and damaging Facebook page was created about one of her fellow teachers.  That experience--including her conversations about the fake Facebook page with a concerned student--inspired her to create on-line tools to help students handle bullying and negativity on social media sites.

Karr tells decorahnews.com students need the right tools to respond to negativity online and in his or her life.  That led to the creation of the "I Can Help Delete Negativity" campaign, which stages assemblies, presentations, social media campaigns and student leadership trainings.

"I'm empowering the students," she says.  Once they have the tools they need, they can help other students.  "We're trying to make it cool again to help," she says.

Since creating the program with another person this year, Karr has done presentations at over 50 schools and has fielded phone calls from Illinois, Texas, Florida, Michigan and other places all over the country.

For more about the "I Can Help Delete Negativity" campaign,visit http://www.icanhelpdeletenegativity.org/#!home/c1re9