To Block or not to Block, That is the Question!

  

To Block or not to Block Internet?

  Schools are closed forums and must, hence, be subject to control on language in all its forms, including the one used by educators, students and administrators. It is also a place where the Freedom of Speech is limited for disciplinary and pedagogical reasons ( Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 1969)This regulation or censorship on language influences heavily the use of the Internet at schools, as well. Internet, as a communication means, poses a series of challenges for School Administrators, teachers and parents.

  School Administrators need to make sure students are safe at school. This includes safety on line. Students are not to engage in any dangerous activities on line while using the computers and the internet provided at school. Dangerous activities are among others, browsing mature content, websites with incendiary content, being contacted by sexual predators, cyberbullying, slandering, libeling, porn watching, etc. As you may conclude, this should not solely be a principal's  concern but it should also matter to teachers and parents.

INTERNET BLOCKING:

YES!!NO!!

  Nevertheless, till what extent is appropriate for a school to block the internet? In 2001, the Children’s Internet Protection Act established new requirements for schools all over the US to create policies and safeguards for  Internet use as "a condition of receiving federal E-rate funding". Out of all of this, I believe social networks must be kept blocked. ( This is my opinion ) Students are in an ever growing race to the social top and will easily get distracted by using MySpace or Facebook, among a plathora of other socialnetworks, at school.

However, there are some communities throughout the country in which Boards of Education are pushing for expanding the access students have to the internet, and are putting little restrictions to their connectivity! (Trussville city schools in Alabama)http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/09/02/02filter_ep.h29.html?tkn=YROFnnFeJq%2Bs98YXo34k7G3%2B0whGwmv%2BeWs2&intc=bs&sms_ss=delicious&at_xt=4cd0b4e9f95cc1b7,0. “We know kids use these tools, so we really feel obligated to help kids use them right and prepare them for what they face in the world every day,” said Superintendent Suzanne Freeman. They believe students need to focus on cyber-learning activities, and should be provided the training  that will prepare them for the correct use of these technologies not only at school but at home and, eventually, at work .

   In my county, on the other hand, many websites are blocked for no apparent reason, like jango.com, for instance ( music and mp3 streaming) or youtube ( video and mp3 streaming ).Why are those websites blocked? One reason for schools to block youtube is that there are certain contents that can be for a mature audience and kids might have access to it. Also, some schools block it because they fear students are going to upload defamatory, obsene, inapropriate or violent videos, too. I kind of agree with its blocking. But how about teachers? Should they also be limited in their access to youtube? How about blocking websites that have just music, just movie trailers? Well, the debate is open and encountering views are out there arm wrestling! 

  I definitely disagree with this indiscriminate internet-blocking race. I see this as an attempt to block anything that can be fun teaching! In my county there is no policy written in regards to the reasons, or rationale of their websites blocking campaign. The bad thing is that teachers have the same accessibility capabilities than a second grader! Teachers need to teach, and of course, whenever they show something to students, the educator will use their discretion so as to choose the appropriate content or material to be used in their class, I feel by  doing so they send a message that they don't believe in my professionalism and intelligence so as to choose the appropriateness of what I teach , and how I teach my students!

  It has been many times when at plannig my classes I discovered wonderful videos and resources on youtube or pbs and discovery but somehow they are all websites that are blocked. Part of our job as teachers is to teach students the ability to select, to choose appropriate resources or materials. We cannot teach students do so because the network administrator has just shut all learning posibilities in the mentioned websites from a room, hidden, in the building of the central office.

WHY IT IS ALWAYS: BLOCKED?!

   I know schools systems all over the US do this in order to comply with requirements of the Federal Government. I understand that if there is no control on the internet, students can engage in dangerous behaviours, and of course, parents will be filing law suits and slashing down at schools, looking for reparation and economic compensation. Nevertheless, internet should still be an informational and instructional tool to which teachers,specifically, could resort and have less restricted access capabilities.