Just for the record... Project Harmony's Porn in Armenian Schools 2002...
I did a web search in hopes to find my blog from December 02, 2002 that I posted on cilicia.com to link to a comment for Nanul in regards to Nanul's comment about PH having no blame for putting porn in the Armenian classrooms they provide internet to, but it no longer was in the cilicia.com archives. From what I remember, it was moved to the messageboard that no longer exists. For that reason, I am reposting it here so those interested in talk of PH and porn in Armenian schools, you can read a little bit of history on this subject.
Monday, December 02, 2002
Ara Manoogian (ara_manoogian@yahoo.com) wrote at 10:44 PM | Comments (2)Comments
PRESS RELEASE
Project Harmony
5197 Main Street Unit 6
Waitsfield, VT 05673
Contact: Katy Pearce and Chris Cassell
Tel: 802-496-4545
E-mail: scp@projectharmony.org
Web: http://www.projectharmony.org
Series 2 of the Project Harmony School Connectivity Programs 2002-03 online projects has completed
In Series 2 communication between schools in the U.S. and in Armenia was based on a simultaneous curriculum unit entitled Conflict and Conflict Resolution. In this curriculum, students understand the causes of conflict. International conflicts are examined to determine their root causes. Students then evaluate conflict in their own lives and the lives of other students involved in the projects. Students won't just explore conflict and conflict resolution by reading information from the newspaper or a website, but rather by communicating about the conflict with other students. The exercises also allow the students to realize that the causes of conflict around the world are quite similar, and to think about how conflicts can be resolved in the present and future. The School Connectivity Programs are programs of the United States Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by Project Harmony.
To find out more about this and the other projects connecting Project
Harmony's School Connectivity Program schools with schools in the United States, information, schedules and applications are available at: http://www.projectharmony.org/ac2k/rec2002.html
###
Congratulations United States Department of State on your attempt in brainwashing our children (here and there) in how you would like the world to believe the root causes of conflicts are and more importantly for picking our children’s brains (which usually reflect the thoughts of their parents – very clever) with the help of American children to see what their feeling are today on the conflict we have with Azerbaijan and Turkey.
I wonder if FM 100-20/AFP 30-2 US Military Operation on Low Intensity Conflict (LIC) were part of the curriculum? If you really want to know about cause and effect, read what the US experts on conflicts wrote. But I guess this is not that important since this was probably not really the goal of this operation.
Well this is strike two for Project Harmony in my book.
First strike came when we discovered 2 years ago that they were knowingly distributing pornographic materials to our children, right in the classrooms that they placed their computers in.
We spoke with the administrators at Project Harmony and presented them with the problem and a solution not thinking they had malicious intent.
They admitted to know that such a problem would eventually start and they had blocking software which they had not yet installed as they didn’t think the problem would start as quick as it did. At that time there was also some mention of them not having in their budget the money needed for the more sophisticated blocking software that we proposed they consider using to eradicate the problem all together.
A couple months passed and we checked to see if Project Harmony had installed the blocking software they claimed to already have and to see how effective it was.
I opened my Hotmail account and randomly clicked on the many porn mail solicitation that everyone seems to get in their junk mailbox and thought their blocking software blocked a couple of sites, most of them opened up without any problem.
We contacted a journalist acquaintance of ours who agreed to prepare an investigative report.
When the Project Harmony representatives were interviewed, they lied through their teeth as to ever meeting with us and being told of the problem of pornography being accessed on their computers (thought that conversation had been recorded and what they claimed they didn’t know was clearly documented to the contrary).
The article concluded that Project Harmony was providing easy access to pornography to our children in the classroom and made it to the front-page of a couple of Armenian new-papers.
If you read FM 100-20/AFP 30-2 US Military Operation on Low Intensity Conflict (LIC), you will see that it practically mentions Project Harmony by name as being an intricate part of LIC.
It should be noted that Project Harmony operates in Armenia and Azerbaijan with the bulk of its work in Armenia.
So what can we expect next from Project Harmony? I predict they will at some point have some project of friendship between kids of different countries, in particular Armenia and Azerbaijan.
I would not have so much of a problem if it was some country other than America, the country which has its eye on the Caspian oil and has a history of manipulating nations in a way that best suits America’s interests and not those of the nations they manipulate.
I guess I can’t blame the people at Project Harmony or the US Department of State who are just doing their jobs. If there is any blame to be placed, it can only go to the people of Armenia and its government for allowing such activities to take place in their country.
Lastly from the Project Harmony guest book:
Name: Azatyan Narine
Time: Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 13:19:22
Comments:
--------------------------------------
ARAVOT Armenian newspaper reported on an alarming call received from one of the schools where an internet classroom was opened by US government assistance. According to the teacher calling from that school the students constantly open porno-sites though there are special programs prohibiting access to such sites. The details will be published in the next issue of the newspaper.
-------------------------------------
I have posted some messages to Armenian website's guestbook and they have deleted my last one. Could you tell me why you open that centers if you can't protect children from accessing pornography? I'm a mother of a girl and thanx god that Armenian Project Harmony is not her school yet. Your technical coordinator wrote that there is no guarantee that children won't access porno sites... Why you don't care about that children? Why you can't protect them from accessing? Hope you'll undertake smtg. and WON'T delete my message asa it was made in armenian guestbook Azatyan Narine
Name: Abi Butler
Email: webmaster@projectharmony.org
Time: Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 14:57:21
Comments:
Dear Ms. Azatyan,
I post here a reply to this situation from our Technical Coordinator in Armenia, Mourad Mouradyan:
Dear Ms. Azatyan, Project Harmony is very concerned to learn of the instance to which your message refers. It is indeed useful for us to learn when and where there have been misappropriate uses of the resources which are provided by the Armenia Connectivity 2000 program. You can be certain that Project Harmony staff and ICC staff work diligently to avoid such kinds of situations. We believe that our first line of defense is the site staff who are employed in the centers. Site staff and teachers working with children in the centers are held accountable for preventing children from accessing sensitive-content sites. However, in an effort to implement a technical solution, the program has an Internet filter software package which is installed on our main server. Unfortunately no technical solution offers a 100% guarantee. If you have more specific information regarding misuses of the resources we encourage you to contact me directly via email.Mourad Mouradyan, Project Harmony, Technical Coordinator From Yerevan, Armenia mourad@projectharmony.am http://www.projectharmony.am
Ara Manoogian (ara_manoogian@yahoo.com) wrote at 2:14 AM | Comment (0)Comments
I got an e-mail from someone at Project Harmony who will remain nameless and that person wrote:
“Just to let you know... the kids talk about personal conflicts and how to deal with typical teenage issues.”
I guess I’m a bit confused as in the Project Harmony material under EDUCATOR AND STUDENT COMMENTS the following comments lead me to believe otherwise.
`Participating in this program will allow our students to see how international conflict and conflict resolution is viewed around the globe.' - American educator
`[I liked] Talking with the [Armenian] students on line. I learned so much about their opinion on the conflict.' - American student age 15, grade 10
`I enjoyed the chat room. We got to discuss the conflict over Israel in a new way.' - American student age 15, grade 10
`I think this program is a wonderful step for future leaders of the world, our children, to gain an understanding of the world as an interdependent organism.' - American educator
`It gave me a way to look at and solve conflict.' - American student age 17, grade 12
`[If I could teach an Armenian one thing about America…] That we do care about other nations.' - American student age 16, grade 11
`It taught me about a country that I didn't even know about and it made me think a lot more about the conflict happening in the Middle East.' - American student age 15, grade 10
`We have a peer mediation program that focuses on conflict resolution, and it would be great for them to see the similarities and differences in interpersonal and international conflict.' - American educator
`It made me much more aware of the conflict and of overseas countries. When we talked online with kids from Armenia, that gave me a reason to learn more about the country and conflict so I didn't make myself look foolish when I was asking questions.' - American student age 15, grade 10
But some of the other comments could lead me to believe that the program also dealt with personal conflicts (as the Project Harmony person told me). I also understood from the comments that American students living in America were giving advice to students living in Armenia. Like I said many times before Armenia is not America, never will be and things that work in America DON’T work here. So advice from American children (the country that many children don’t respect their parents or elders) in my opinion had no business giving advice to our children as it can only do more harm than good.
`I learned that Armenia has some problems with friendship just like we do.' - American student age 12, grade 7
`The aspect I enjoyed the most was going into the chatroom. I also liked giving advice to the kids from Armenia to find out that they had some of the same problems as we do in America.' - American student age 12, grade 7
`[If I could teach an Armenian one thing about America…] About our rights and freedoms.' - American student age 12, grade 7
`I liked how we got a chance to respond to the Armenians' questions and try to help them out.' - American student age 16, grade 11
As I have told you in person before Ara, I completely disagree with you on this subject. Blaming Project Harmony for anything the kids see online is like blaming Kerkorian for many of the sidewalks in Yerevan being in a shambles because whoever in government is implementing the repairs decided to do every sidewalk at once, without time to finish them all before winter hits... It is not right.
The schools themselves need to monitor the connections and the childrens use of the internet, just like they would in the USA. If Apple gives Macs to a school in the USA, they will not be blamed if children surf for porn on them. The TEACHERS will be rightfully blamed. It is that simple.
I don't know why you don't direct your attention to the schools and their administration who supervise the computers, and the curriculum.
Raffi Kojian | Homepage | 12.03.02 - 4:48 am
First of all Raffi, I clearly stated in my log that in the end I don’t blame Project Harmony (PH) and blame the Armenian People and the government for allowing this to go on.
One thing that you of all people should be in tune with is that teachers are one of the lowest paid jobs in Armenia and in many cases are the least motivated to do their jobs.
In addition to that, the internet is very new to Armenians here and I would guess that the majority of parents, teachers and those working at the schools haven’t a clue as to what is out there and certainly don’t realize the effects such garbage has on our children.
Also I want to say (as I did in my log) that there is software out there that is much much more effective than the software that PH is using. If they can’t afford to have the more sophisticated software on their system, then they should not be allowed to run such a project in Armenia. Cars with bald tires are unsafe and in the America it is illegal to drive such a car.
Another thing I want to point out is if PH is so innocent, then why did they lie through their teeth when asked if we had talked to them about this problem in the past?
Ara Manoogian | Email | 12.03.02 - 7:29 am
Monday, December 02, 2002
Ara Manoogian (ara_manoogian@yahoo.com) wrote at 10:44 PM | Comments (2)Comments
PRESS RELEASE
Project Harmony
5197 Main Street Unit 6
Waitsfield, VT 05673
Contact: Katy Pearce and Chris Cassell
Tel: 802-496-4545
E-mail: scp@projectharmony.org
Web: http://www.projectharmony.org
Series 2 of the Project Harmony School Connectivity Programs 2002-03 online projects has completed
In Series 2 communication between schools in the U.S. and in Armenia was based on a simultaneous curriculum unit entitled Conflict and Conflict Resolution. In this curriculum, students understand the causes of conflict. International conflicts are examined to determine their root causes. Students then evaluate conflict in their own lives and the lives of other students involved in the projects. Students won't just explore conflict and conflict resolution by reading information from the newspaper or a website, but rather by communicating about the conflict with other students. The exercises also allow the students to realize that the causes of conflict around the world are quite similar, and to think about how conflicts can be resolved in the present and future. The School Connectivity Programs are programs of the United States Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by Project Harmony.
To find out more about this and the other projects connecting Project
Harmony's School Connectivity Program schools with schools in the United States, information, schedules and applications are available at: http://www.projectharmony.org/ac2k/rec2002.html
###
Congratulations United States Department of State on your attempt in brainwashing our children (here and there) in how you would like the world to believe the root causes of conflicts are and more importantly for picking our children’s brains (which usually reflect the thoughts of their parents – very clever) with the help of American children to see what their feeling are today on the conflict we have with Azerbaijan and Turkey.
I wonder if FM 100-20/AFP 30-2 US Military Operation on Low Intensity Conflict (LIC) were part of the curriculum? If you really want to know about cause and effect, read what the US experts on conflicts wrote. But I guess this is not that important since this was probably not really the goal of this operation.
Well this is strike two for Project Harmony in my book.
First strike came when we discovered 2 years ago that they were knowingly distributing pornographic materials to our children, right in the classrooms that they placed their computers in.
We spoke with the administrators at Project Harmony and presented them with the problem and a solution not thinking they had malicious intent.
They admitted to know that such a problem would eventually start and they had blocking software which they had not yet installed as they didn’t think the problem would start as quick as it did. At that time there was also some mention of them not having in their budget the money needed for the more sophisticated blocking software that we proposed they consider using to eradicate the problem all together.
A couple months passed and we checked to see if Project Harmony had installed the blocking software they claimed to already have and to see how effective it was.
I opened my Hotmail account and randomly clicked on the many porn mail solicitation that everyone seems to get in their junk mailbox and thought their blocking software blocked a couple of sites, most of them opened up without any problem.
We contacted a journalist acquaintance of ours who agreed to prepare an investigative report.
When the Project Harmony representatives were interviewed, they lied through their teeth as to ever meeting with us and being told of the problem of pornography being accessed on their computers (thought that conversation had been recorded and what they claimed they didn’t know was clearly documented to the contrary).
The article concluded that Project Harmony was providing easy access to pornography to our children in the classroom and made it to the front-page of a couple of Armenian new-papers.
If you read FM 100-20/AFP 30-2 US Military Operation on Low Intensity Conflict (LIC), you will see that it practically mentions Project Harmony by name as being an intricate part of LIC.
It should be noted that Project Harmony operates in Armenia and Azerbaijan with the bulk of its work in Armenia.
So what can we expect next from Project Harmony? I predict they will at some point have some project of friendship between kids of different countries, in particular Armenia and Azerbaijan.
I would not have so much of a problem if it was some country other than America, the country which has its eye on the Caspian oil and has a history of manipulating nations in a way that best suits America’s interests and not those of the nations they manipulate.
I guess I can’t blame the people at Project Harmony or the US Department of State who are just doing their jobs. If there is any blame to be placed, it can only go to the people of Armenia and its government for allowing such activities to take place in their country.
Lastly from the Project Harmony guest book:
Name: Azatyan Narine
Time: Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 13:19:22
Comments:
--------------------------------------
ARAVOT Armenian newspaper reported on an alarming call received from one of the schools where an internet classroom was opened by US government assistance. According to the teacher calling from that school the students constantly open porno-sites though there are special programs prohibiting access to such sites. The details will be published in the next issue of the newspaper.
-------------------------------------
I have posted some messages to Armenian website's guestbook and they have deleted my last one. Could you tell me why you open that centers if you can't protect children from accessing pornography? I'm a mother of a girl and thanx god that Armenian Project Harmony is not her school yet. Your technical coordinator wrote that there is no guarantee that children won't access porno sites... Why you don't care about that children? Why you can't protect them from accessing? Hope you'll undertake smtg. and WON'T delete my message asa it was made in armenian guestbook Azatyan Narine
Name: Abi Butler
Email: webmaster@projectharmony.org
Time: Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 14:57:21
Comments:
Dear Ms. Azatyan,
I post here a reply to this situation from our Technical Coordinator in Armenia, Mourad Mouradyan:
Dear Ms. Azatyan, Project Harmony is very concerned to learn of the instance to which your message refers. It is indeed useful for us to learn when and where there have been misappropriate uses of the resources which are provided by the Armenia Connectivity 2000 program. You can be certain that Project Harmony staff and ICC staff work diligently to avoid such kinds of situations. We believe that our first line of defense is the site staff who are employed in the centers. Site staff and teachers working with children in the centers are held accountable for preventing children from accessing sensitive-content sites. However, in an effort to implement a technical solution, the program has an Internet filter software package which is installed on our main server. Unfortunately no technical solution offers a 100% guarantee. If you have more specific information regarding misuses of the resources we encourage you to contact me directly via email.Mourad Mouradyan, Project Harmony, Technical Coordinator From Yerevan, Armenia mourad@projectharmony.am http://www.projectharmony.am
Ara Manoogian (ara_manoogian@yahoo.com) wrote at 2:14 AM | Comment (0)Comments
I got an e-mail from someone at Project Harmony who will remain nameless and that person wrote:
“Just to let you know... the kids talk about personal conflicts and how to deal with typical teenage issues.”
I guess I’m a bit confused as in the Project Harmony material under EDUCATOR AND STUDENT COMMENTS the following comments lead me to believe otherwise.
`Participating in this program will allow our students to see how international conflict and conflict resolution is viewed around the globe.' - American educator
`[I liked] Talking with the [Armenian] students on line. I learned so much about their opinion on the conflict.' - American student age 15, grade 10
`I enjoyed the chat room. We got to discuss the conflict over Israel in a new way.' - American student age 15, grade 10
`I think this program is a wonderful step for future leaders of the world, our children, to gain an understanding of the world as an interdependent organism.' - American educator
`It gave me a way to look at and solve conflict.' - American student age 17, grade 12
`[If I could teach an Armenian one thing about America…] That we do care about other nations.' - American student age 16, grade 11
`It taught me about a country that I didn't even know about and it made me think a lot more about the conflict happening in the Middle East.' - American student age 15, grade 10
`We have a peer mediation program that focuses on conflict resolution, and it would be great for them to see the similarities and differences in interpersonal and international conflict.' - American educator
`It made me much more aware of the conflict and of overseas countries. When we talked online with kids from Armenia, that gave me a reason to learn more about the country and conflict so I didn't make myself look foolish when I was asking questions.' - American student age 15, grade 10
But some of the other comments could lead me to believe that the program also dealt with personal conflicts (as the Project Harmony person told me). I also understood from the comments that American students living in America were giving advice to students living in Armenia. Like I said many times before Armenia is not America, never will be and things that work in America DON’T work here. So advice from American children (the country that many children don’t respect their parents or elders) in my opinion had no business giving advice to our children as it can only do more harm than good.
`I learned that Armenia has some problems with friendship just like we do.' - American student age 12, grade 7
`The aspect I enjoyed the most was going into the chatroom. I also liked giving advice to the kids from Armenia to find out that they had some of the same problems as we do in America.' - American student age 12, grade 7
`[If I could teach an Armenian one thing about America…] About our rights and freedoms.' - American student age 12, grade 7
`I liked how we got a chance to respond to the Armenians' questions and try to help them out.' - American student age 16, grade 11
As I have told you in person before Ara, I completely disagree with you on this subject. Blaming Project Harmony for anything the kids see online is like blaming Kerkorian for many of the sidewalks in Yerevan being in a shambles because whoever in government is implementing the repairs decided to do every sidewalk at once, without time to finish them all before winter hits... It is not right.
The schools themselves need to monitor the connections and the childrens use of the internet, just like they would in the USA. If Apple gives Macs to a school in the USA, they will not be blamed if children surf for porn on them. The TEACHERS will be rightfully blamed. It is that simple.
I don't know why you don't direct your attention to the schools and their administration who supervise the computers, and the curriculum.
Raffi Kojian | Homepage | 12.03.02 - 4:48 am
First of all Raffi, I clearly stated in my log that in the end I don’t blame Project Harmony (PH) and blame the Armenian People and the government for allowing this to go on.
One thing that you of all people should be in tune with is that teachers are one of the lowest paid jobs in Armenia and in many cases are the least motivated to do their jobs.
In addition to that, the internet is very new to Armenians here and I would guess that the majority of parents, teachers and those working at the schools haven’t a clue as to what is out there and certainly don’t realize the effects such garbage has on our children.
Also I want to say (as I did in my log) that there is software out there that is much much more effective than the software that PH is using. If they can’t afford to have the more sophisticated software on their system, then they should not be allowed to run such a project in Armenia. Cars with bald tires are unsafe and in the America it is illegal to drive such a car.
Another thing I want to point out is if PH is so innocent, then why did they lie through their teeth when asked if we had talked to them about this problem in the past?
Ara Manoogian | Email | 12.03.02 - 7:29 am
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