Parents concerned about their children’s online safety, teens sending inappropriate texts, and “tweens” browsing Internet chat rooms will have an opportunity to learn more about these problems and more, as well as how to proactively address technology issues, in an upcoming workshop at St. Thomas Aquinas Church.

On Wednesday, May 13, from 7-9 p.m., the CyberSMART workshop for parents on Internet and cell phone safety will be presented by Anna Curtis of Prevent Child Abuse Georgia in the parish hall of St. Thomas Aquinas Church. A concurrent youth track for rising seventh-graders through high school will be offered in room 201/202. All parents and youth are invited to attend.

The workshop will examine data concerning the way children use technology and clarify actual patterns being seen by law enforcement when technology-initiated crimes occur. The recent trends of cyber-bullying, sexting (sexually explicit texting),

mySpace and Facebook will be explored. Some of these trends have tremendous consequences for youth, both emotionally and legally.

St. Thomas Aquinas Church is located at 535 Rucker Road, Alpharetta.