Are schools restricting too much on student’s computers?

School administrations are decreasing the number of websites students can access. Schools restrict what websites the students can go on and if they are not allowed on it, the website is blocked. However, restricting the websites students go on, will hurt the students more than allowing them on the website.

Schools do not just block websites, they also block harmless music sites and social media sites.

According to Kylie Averill, contributor for The John Jay Focus, “Things like this happen way too often, with students needing an article, photo, video, or access to a website, but not being able to reach it. This not only causes exasperation among students, but can also hinder their abilities to do work.”

As shown above, schools are taking blocking websites too far and is, in the end, prohibiting students from expanding their knowledge.

According to Andrew Sams, Aurora City School District’s technology coordinator, “Aurora tends to allow students to obtain the information and be able to research both sides, because in the real world there will be no one controlling them.”

As has been noted, Aurora does not restrict as many websites as other schools because Aurora believes that prohibiting a lot of websites will not let the young adults be prepared for the outside world.

“Technology and computers are becoming second nature to kids, so while the administration thinks they may be outsmarting students, they’re really just challenging them,” stated Averill.

Whereas, most people believe that restricting the websites students are allowed to access is a good resource. People view restrictions as a good resource because it will establish a safe environment for students and allow them to not get distracted in their classes.

Averill explained, “One part of their job is to make sure that students are in a safe environment, so blocking pornographic or otherwise inappropriate websites is essential.” As has been noted, the main reason why schools block a website is that they view it as unsafe for a student for inappropriate reasons.

According to NetNanny.com, “‘A school’s most important job, along with educating your kids, is protecting them while they are there.’ It can be said that schools have to block websites as a way to maintain their student’s safety and keep their students away from distractions.” As can be seen, a school is not only supposed to provide a safe environment but it is also supposed to make sure their students are focused and learning.

Sams explained, “SPARCC filters 30 counties in Portage County. Filtering websites is a national law; it is a law under the CIPA (Child Internet Protection Act). The CIPA filters out the worst of worst websites. Aurora City Schools does not make any changes to the already filtered websites, the school district refuses to add any additional sites to be blocked.”

On the other hand, blocking certain websites and what students can access is actually hurting the students' education.

“Blocking websites posts that all social media is bad and can’t be used as an educational tool, which is inherently wrong given its uses across the country,” explained Averill. As shown above, limiting the websites students can access, such as social media sites, is permitting students from obtaining all the education they can.

Additionally, over time a student will discover a way to access the banned website.

Averill stated, “At a school in California, students sold a workaround to the filters to other students for $2. In Indiana, students reprogrammed school-issued iPads within a day of receiving them. At a middle school in New Jersey, students were able to get past their schools Facebook ban almost immediately. When one middle schooler was asked by his father how he’d gotten onto the blocked site, he responded, ‘Pretty easy, Dad. We know more about computers than the teachers do.’” As can be seen, students in this generation know more about technology then schools staff and the students are finding ways around the banned websites.

Overall, restricting the websites students are allowed to access is not a smart decision. When a school restricts the websites, they are decreasing the amount of education they can receive, making the students frustrated and end up wasting their time on finding a way around the blocked website, and they are restricting them to strengthening relationships.