For the record, I do not recommend that school staff use the proxies to
bypass the filter - although I am quite sure that many do. I do suggest
that districts assess whether students and staff are bypassing the
filter and determine whether this is for the purpose of social uses -
accessing Facebook - or to get to sites that are needed for instruction
or to complete assignments.
If the purpose is for social uses, then this means the district/schools
need better approaches to prevent misuse. If the purpose is to access
sites that have educational relevance, then better approaches to allow
for override are necessary.
Terminology: I always use the term "override" to refer to authorized
authority to use a function within the filter to access a site that is
blocked. I use the term "bypass" to refer to the unauthorized use of
proxies.
I also suggest 3 categories of filtering:
Restricted access - never allow, pornography, extreme violence, things
like that.
Limited access - block as a way to communicate this is likely not
appropriate, but special provisions to allow if for an educational use.
This would include hate sites. But to override the filter to access
these, there should be a plan to inform parents to allow them to request
an alternate activity and approval by an administrator.
Non-educational - the sites that do not have material that presents
substantive concerns - but are generally for entertainment and
socializing and so are not appropriate because they are not educational.
If there is an educational purpose, there should be the ability to
override - without having to go through a special process.
The problem with the last section is that I have been informed by many
good ed tech folks that there are significant concerns of staff, as well
as student, socializing. One ed tech director, who is a librarian by
training, told me that at the request of her superintendent she ran a
history of staff Internet use during the school day. She said she had
never seen him so livid when he looked at the results. The only way to
address these concerns is to let everyone know that once of twice a
month there will be a random assessment of the history of both staff and
students to determine the degree to which the Internet is being used for
educational activities.
<sigh> I am trying to figure out how to shift the way I am communicating
in my presentation on cyberbullying, cyberthreats, and sexting. I
generally receive good feedback from safe school folks - counselors and
the like. But not as good responses from principals and school resource
officers. Actually - worst from the resource officers. I have realized
that the reason for this is that I know that if adults try to act like
"sages on the stage" they are going to "trip on their togas." If
principals or officers try to deal with these situations in an
authoritarian manner - threaten and punish - they will not be effective.
But I do not actually explain the reason for the approach I recommend -
and really think I need to. So the challenge is to try to explain to
principals and officers that they are not going to be effective if they
act like "the boss." <profound sigh>
Funny, isn't it that our approach to trying to prevent misuse is acting
to encourage students to learn how to hack.
Nancy
--
Nancy Willard, M.S., J.D.
Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use
http://csriu.org
nwillard@csriu.org
Lisa Hunt wrote:
> Nancy, you have clearly stated the most important elements of the
> argument... we are in the business of "teaching." The Stormfront site
> is blocked in my district, and when I asked to have it opened for one
> day so that I could "teach" my lesson I was told no. My objectives
> were clear, and I had taught the lesson using that site the year
> before the district learned of the spurious content. I couldn't even
> get my principal to back me up and work to get the site opened. I
> completely lost the teachable moment that is an important piece in my
> students puzzle learning how to make decisions based upon personal
> evaluation.
>
> I think I'll do better searching "bypass Internet filters" and follow
> the first lead of the students. THEN, I would be able to teach.
>
> Lisa Hunt, NBCT 2005
> School Library Media Specialist
> Apple Creek Elementary
> Moore, OK
> lisa3moon@yahoo.com <mailto:lisa3moon@yahoo.com>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Nancy Willard <nwillard@CSRIU.ORG>
> *To:* LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
> *Sent:* Sat, May 22, 2010 5:15:46 PM
> *Subject:* Re: Wikipedia
>
> Sometimes I say too much. There are two questions:
>
> Where do you think you will find the most complete and accurate
> information about Martin Luther King?
>
> * A textbook that meets the standards of the Texas Textbook Commission.
> * The martinlutherking.org <http://martinlutherking.org> web site
> hosted by Stormfront.
> * A web site set up to honor the legacy of the leaders of the civil
> rights movement.
> * A Wikipedia entry.
>
> Recognize that each has deficiencies. But in my opinion that the
> user-generated and edited approach on Wikipedia has the greatest
> chance of being the closest to complete and accurate. Recognize also
> that students are going to find information on all of these kinds of
> sites. So what skills do they need to ensure that the information they
> find and rely on is credible.
>
> How can we best prevent students from accidentally or intentionally
> accessing pornography? Given that ...
>
> * Filters have demonstrated a 10% failure rate under conditions of
> intentional access.
> * Students can easily bypass filters - search for "bypass Internet
> filter."
> * Students are accessing the Internet from school, from home, from
> friend's homes, and through their personal devices.
>
> Nancy
>
>
> -- Nancy Willard, M.S., J.D.
> Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use
> http://csriu.org
> nwillard@csriu.org <mailto:nwillard@csriu.org>
>
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