MUHLENBURG TOWNSHIP, Pa.- Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday visited the Berks County Intermediate Unit for the second session in his “Teen Talks” series on mental health and social media.
“Policy makers get together, we research an issue, we pontificate and think we have all the answers,” says Sunday. “In reality, often times we don’t and that’s because we skip over the people who really know exactly what’s going on and who often times do have the answers.”
More than 40 students from districts all around Berks County came to participate in the discussion with the AG.
“Really how social media is affecting their everyday life and bringing into it the factors of mental health,” says Sara George, the BCIU Asst. Director of Student Services. “What are they seeing, how is their mental health by utilizing social media [and] the other piece is the utilization of A-I.”
Sunday says he hopes to gain perspective and find the best ways to work toward solutions.
Students and educators say they deal with mental health issues related to self-esteem, bullying and AI.
“It’s important for people to know and especially people who are supervising a child or supervising someone who they’re taking care of to know the power of what a different world that social media is,” says Reading High School Senior, Devynn Brown.
Many schools have precautionary measures in place and say it’s important to educate students on how to safely use social media and technology.
“Being able to speak about what we think needs to happen with moderation, what needs to happen with supporting each other, what needs to happen with the future as a state; I think was really important to be able to describe our thoughts to him,” says Berks Catholic Junior, Rosalie Perlman.