Re: SEC: Revoked Internet Privileges

["M. Glavac" <mglavac@wwdc.com>]

 Last year was our first year with total Internet access.  We did have some cases 
of inappropriate
use.  Three grade 6 students sent offensive e-mail to a webmaster who's site was 
being used for a
project.  (The only way they were caught was that they cc the offensive e-mail to 
their teacher!)
The students were suspended from the Internet for one month.  One parent (who's 
wife is a teacher)
challenged the consequence because their son did not "physically" compose the 
message, but was
only a bystander.

I personally had 3 students who misused their Internet access by getting into an 
inappropriate
site.  I warned them that they shouldn't be there, thinking that this was enough.  
This first
occurred in the lab, where supervision is easier.  They then continued to access 
this particular
site on our classroom's computer during a lesson with another teacher (and when I 
was on a prep
period).

I took the affront very very personally.  In fact, I was fit to be tied!  I found 
out about the
action ten minutes before an assembly on a Friday afternoon.  I took the class to 
the assembly and
then removed the students to the office, where my principal and I lectured them.  
Their Internet
privileges were suspended for one month.

Since I had the weekend to think (or rather stew about it), I did take it 
personally because I am
a strong believer in student access to the Internet and in trusting students to 
make good
decisions when on the Internet.  I really trusted my students, but this action was 
a slap in the
face.  On Monday, I spent over an hour talking to the class about trust and what 
trust means.  My
principal has a quote which a number of teachers have made into a banner which 
reads: "Trust is
the antecedent of all learning."  After 16 years of teaching, I don't "blindly" 
trust all my
students, but I firmly believe that this bond of trust between teachers and 
students is an
absolute necessity if learning is to take place.

I now teach K-8 (750 students) computers.  There has been an exponential increase 
in use of the
Internet by students and teachers and so far not a single incident has been 
reported for
1997-1998.
I hope it continues!

take care,

Marjan


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Mr. Marjan Glavac   author "The Busy Educator's Guide To The World Wide Web"
LONDON, Ontario
Canada

mglavac@wwdc.com     http://www.lbe.edu.on.ca/bonavent/welcome.htm

          "There are no boundaries for the journeys of the mind."
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