The White Hatter

09/04/2026

The attached image will understandably cause some friction with some parents and caregivers. However, we believe this friction is healthy, because it creates dialogue

Banning educational technology and AI at school while students continue to have largely unrestricted access to these same technologies outside the classroom may ultimately be counterproductive, something that we have been anecdotally witnessing here at the White Hatter. If we want young people to learn when technology and AI are appropriate, when they are not, and how to use them critically, effectively, responsibly, and safely, schools can play an important role in developing those skills.

However, before we criticize a school or district for restricting or banning certain technologies, we also need to ask an equally important question, “Are educators being given the training, resources, evidence, guidance, and ongoing support they need to use technology and AI effectively as pedagogical tools?”

Simply putting technology into a classroom does not automatically improve learning. Likewise, removing technology from a classroom does not automatically improve learning. The better question is whether a particular technology serves an intentional educational purpose, is developmentally appropriate, improves or supports learning, and whether educators have been properly prepared to use it.

This is where we believe much of the current debate is becoming unnecessarily polarized. Too often, the conversation gets reduced to two positions, technology is either transforming education for the better, or it is harming learning and therefore need to be removed. We don’t believe either extreme adequately captures the complexity of what is happening in many classrooms that we have visited with.

There is a middle ground, and finding it requires moving beyond the question of “technology or no technology?” and toward the much more useful question of “what technology, for what purpose, for which students, at what age, under what circumstances, and supported by what evidence?”

Tomorrow, we will be publishing an in-depth article that we have been working on that examines this increasingly contentious issue, why it has understandably become such a hot-button topic among some parents, caregivers, educators, and school districts, and what we believe a more thoughtful, evidence informed middle ground can look like.

The White Hatter

09/04/2026

Consent Does Not End When a Relationship Does

First, we don’t particularly like the term “revenge porn” used in the headline of this CTV News article. We prefer “non-consensual distribution of intimate images” or “image-based sexual abuse.” Words matter. “Revenge porn” can imply that revenge must be the motivation, and it can frame consensually created intimate images as po*******hy, when the central issue is much simpler: an intimate image was distributed without the consent of the person depicted.

With that distinction made, this British Columbia case provides parents and caregivers with an important real-world example to share with their kids.

A man has been sentenced to jail after posting intimate videos of a former partner online without her consent. The case reinforces something we believe every young person needs to clearly understand: consenting to the creation of an intimate image, or privately sharing one with someone, does not mean consenting to its distribution.

A relationship ending, feelings changing, or trust breaking down does not suddenly give someone permission to share intimate content that was entrusted to them. Having an image on your device does not give you ownership over the person depicted or the right to decide who else gets to see it.

This is also why we need to broaden how we talk with teens about intimate images. Too often, the conversation focuses almost entirely on the person sending the image: Why did you take it? Why did you send it? We also need to speak directly to the person who receives one.

Receiving an intimate image comes with responsibility. If someone trusts you with an intimate image, you do not have permission to show it to friends, forward it to a group chat, post it online, or use it later to embarrass, threaten, control, or punish that person. Sharing it without consent can cause significant and lasting harm and, as this case demonstrates, can also carry serious criminal consequences in Canada.

For parents and caregivers, this isn’t simply a conversation about “sexting.” It is a conversation about consent, healthy relationships, privacy, trust, dignity, respect, and responsibility in today’s onlife world. One message we believe every teen should hear, “Someone trusting you with an intimate image is never permission to share it with someone else.”

The White Hatter

09/03/2026

🎒 BACK-TO-SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR SCHOOLS! 🎒

To help schools kick off the 2026–27 school year, The White Hatter is offering 50% off your second Live Virtual Student Program when your school books two student programs between September and December 2026.

Already booked with us for this fall? We’ve got you covered. We will honour this discount for schools that have already booked two eligible student programs with us.

🏫 Elementary School
First Program: $495
Second Program: $247.50
Total: $742.50 | Save $247.50

🏫 Middle School
First Program: $595
Second Program: $297.50
Total: $892.50 | Save $297.50

🏫 High School
First Program: $695
Second Program: $347.50
Total: $1,042.50 | Save $347.50

All programs are delivered via our industry leading live virtual studio, making it easy to bring evidence-based digital literacy, online safety, and AI education directly to your students.

Two programs. One school. Second program at half price.

Offer applies to eligible Live Virtual Student Programs booked for September through December 2026.

🍎 Here’s to a safe, informed, and digitally literate 2026–27 school year!

Head over to our website www.thewhitehatter.ca for detailed information on all our programs and contact information

09/03/2026

When Kids Turn to AI for Emotional Support: Important New Canadian Research Parents Should Know About

New Canadian research involving nearly 40,000 Ontario students found that about one in five reported turning to generative AI for emotional support or advice, with these students also more likely to experience emotional difficulties. But does AI contribute to those struggles, or are struggling youth more likely to seek out AI? The research can’t answer that yet. What it does tell parents is important, don’t just ask if your child uses AI, rather ask what role AI plays in their life.

To read our full article on this new important Canadian research, click this link https://www.thewhitehatter.ca/post/when-kids-turn-to-ai-for-emotional-support-important-new-canadian-research-parents-should-know-abou

09/02/2026

September Is Su***de Awareness Month: Why Parents and Caregivers Need to Be Part of the Conversation

Research suggests that suicidal ideations and self harm among children and adolescents follows a school year pattern, tending to decline during summer vacation and increase again as young people return to school, with elevated rates often continuing through the fall and spring. With a new school year beginning across Canada, we believe September is a particularly important and timely month to bring greater awareness to youth and teen su***de

For parents and caregivers, su***de awareness shouldn’t mean fear, it should mean connection, conversation, and paying attention. Canadian research shows youth su***de is complex, rarely has a single cause, and warning signs aren’t always obvious. Our latest article looks beyond alarming headlines to what the evidence tells us, why asking about su***de doesn’t cause it, and why the relationship we build with our kids may matter most.

To read our full article on this extremely important topic, click this link https://www.thewhitehatter.ca/post/september-is-su***de-awareness-month-why-parents-and-caregivers-need-to-be-part-of-the-conversation

09/02/2026

Meta’s $18 Billion Settlement Over Teen Harm - Meta has agreed to a massive settlement to end a landmark multistate lawsuit accusing the company of deliberately designing Facebook and Instagram to addict teenagers and harm their mental health. As part of the agreement, Meta will implement major changes to how teens use its platforms, including a default two-hour daily time limit, overnight lockouts, and a non-algorithmic feed option.

09/01/2026

If MIT warns AI can now complete nearly any undergraduate assignment, prompting a review of its educational model, what does this mean for elementary, middle school, and high schools.

https://aiandeducation.mit.edu/report/

The Fraser Institute here in Canada has provide some insight

The Fraser Institute’s June 2026 report surveyed 756 Canadian teachers who teach Grade 6 or higher about how prepared their schools are for the growing use of artificial intelligence. The results suggest that AI has entered classrooms faster than many schools and school boards have developed policies and professional training to address it. Only 49.3% of teachers said they had received training on using AI for lessons and classroom materials, while 63.6% said they had received no training on how to teach students to use AI appropriately, and 64.7% reported receiving no training or tools to identify student AI use. There were also significant regional differences in training across Canada.

School policies appear similarly inconsistent. Only 34.8% of surveyed teachers reported that their school had a policy governing staff use of AI, while 42.3% reported a policy governing student AI use. The report argues that schools need clearer policies and significantly more teacher professional development as AI becomes increasingly embedded in education. However, the findings should be interpreted carefully: this was a non-probability survey, and it primarily measures teachers’ awareness of whether training and policies exist, not their quality or effectiveness. The report therefore provides useful evidence of a Canadian AI preparedness and governance gap, rather than evidence that AI itself is necessarily harming students or that simply having an AI policy produces better educational outcomes.

https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/2026-06/survey-of-canadian-grades-6-12-teachers-on-AI-training-and-school-policies-for-its-use.pdf

We here at the White Hatter have developed Pro-D programs for educators and schools that can help to mitigate many of these concerns. Connect with us and we would be more that happy to provide you with more information.

09/01/2026

Nostalgia & AI Juvenoic Slop: Facts Not Fear!

AI generated nostalgia is flooding social media with a familiar message, childhood was better before smartphones, and technology ruined what came after. But does a quieter street really prove that? Our latest article looks beyond the emotional pull of nostalgia to examine demographics, parenting, independent mobility, screen use, and the bigger digital literacy question, "Are we looking at today’s childhood, or searching for the one we remember?"

To read our full article on this interesting question, please click this link https://www.thewhitehatter.ca/post/nostalgia-ai-juvenoic-slop-facts-not-fear

08/31/2026

UPDATE 2026-08-31, to our article posted last week titles "A Draft Policy For Schools Specific to Smart Glasses, Wearable Recording Devices and AI Enabled Wearable Technology" https://www.thewhitehatter.ca/post/a-draft-policy-for-schools-specific-to-smart-glasses-wearable-recording-devices-and-ai-enabled-wear

In many parts of the United States, students have already been back in school since last week. Since then, we have located several videos posted to TikTok showing students using smart glasses to record classmates, educators, and other school staff, often without their knowledge or consent, and then posting that footage online.

This is important because the privacy concerns surrounding smart glasses in schools are no longer simply hypothetical. The technology is already entering classrooms and hallways this new school year, and we are now seeing examples of it being used to record others without their knowledge. What was once a foreseeable concern is quickly becoming a very real issue for schools to address.

Smart glasses and AI-enabled wearables are entering schools faster than many policies can keep up. Cameras, microphones, AI, and cloud processing can now be hidden inside everyday eyewear and accessories, creating new questions around privacy, consent, accessibility, safety, and misuse. We created t...

08/31/2026

The Dangers Of Choking During S*x: A Conversation Parents and Caregivers Need to Have With Their Son’s and Daughter’s

S*xual “choking” is increasingly appearing in po*******hy, social media, music, and popular culture, where it can be portrayed as exciting, desirable, or relatively harmless. However, what is commonly called “choking” is actually strangulation, a practice that carries potentially serious medical risks and, in rare circumstances, can be fatal, as highlighted by the recent death of a 16-year-old girl in Australia that police are investigating in connection with a suspected consensual sexual choking incident.

We recognize that conversations involving teen sexuality, po*******hy, strangulation, and consent can be uncomfortable for parents and caregivers, especially when they involve our own children. However, discomfort should not prevent us from having conversations that could help prevent serious injury or potentially save a life. This article is not about shaming young people, creating fear around sexuality, or suggesting that all teens are engaging in this behaviour. Rather, it is about providing parents and caregivers with evidence-based information about a sexual practice that research from several countries suggests has become increasingly normalized among some young people, with research also indicating that some are first encountering the concept by their mid-teens.

This may not be an easy conversation to have with our sons and daughters, but given what young people can encounter online and offline today, we believe it is an important one.

To read our full article on this important topic, click this link

S*xual “choking” is increasingly appearing in po*******hy, social media, music, and popular culture, but what is often portrayed as exciting or harmless is actually strangulation, and it carries potentially serious medical risks. With research suggesting some young people are encountering this b...