By Alleen Erchoff-Costet
Imagine this, you are doing a research paper for school about politics, history, or social issues on your school computer, and the website you’re looking at is blocked or you get kicked off without warning. Whether you’re a student now, or have been one in the past who used computers for school work, there probably were filters monitoring what you do on the computer. Some think that this monitoring has gotten out of hand. Although it is understandable that schools want to monitor and make sure the children are safe, the question is; has it gone too far?
People may think that this topic is heavily opinionated and controversial, and while it does keep students safe from harm and being often on task, current monitoring programs also tend to over censor internet content. One major platform that is currently used in many schools is GoGuardian. GoGuardian is a widely used education technology software designed to monitor and manage student activity on school issued computers. Although this can be helpful for monitoring games and inappropriate websites, it can also unnecessarily limit educational websites and access to some online classes. Many students end up having to buy their own device to use at home so they can do their school work due to their online classes being blocked on their school issued computer. This computer program also allows monitoring students’ computer screens, even when they are at home. This may just be my opinion, but this is very disturbing and creepy. For example students could be working on research on something heavy like the Holocaust. We know that there are many disturbing images and topics surrounding this subject. That student could be working on this paper at home and their computer is monitored. Whoever is monitoring the student might not understand why the student is researching and remove them from the website. As a student trying to do their work, it gets to a point where it is very annoying when you have someone watching you do your work and kicking you off of websites. Not only can they view your screen, but according to the GoGuardian website, they are able to monitor your camera which is extremely disturbing. As a student, I don’t want teachers watching me while I work because it can cause major distractions.
The internet can be an extremely helpful tool, which can help students with their education. As I mentioned earlier, different websites can be filtered and blocked in concern for student safety, but did you know that even searching something like “are the web filters at your school too restrictive?” are also blocked? As I was researching for this article, I was blocked from searching the topic using my school issued computer. What about that search topic is putting my safety at risk? Schools can block important information from educational websites. According to Claire Josey from the Golden Arrow News magazine, “Relying on filters does not teach young citizens how to be savvy searchers or how to evaluate the accuracy of information.” Students, especially in high school, should be mature enough to know what to and what not to click on. They will be exposed to inappropriate media one way or another, and they need to learn how to monitor themselves and know the difference between non-educational and educational websites. I do agree that if a student gets caught playing games during class, or looking up something that is inappropriate and non-school related there should be consequences. But what about the students who only use their school issued computers for school work? Why should they be punished with restrictions as well? It’s not fair and limits the amount of information students have access to. It does nothing to aid students in becoming responsible users of the internet.
I understand there are alternative ways to learn and take in information, but not everybody has access to them. Most school related assignments are online these days, and educational websites and information are blocked from students accessing them, student learning will be limited and they will not learn how to be responsible.
Alleen Erchoff-Costet is a Spring Grove High School student, one of 10 area students participating in the Journal Writing Project, now in its 27th year.
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