Arguing that government education technology dollars could be funding access to pornography, bill author Senator John McCain and supporters contend that filtering will protect students from inappropriate material and keep them on task at the computer. While both sides arm themselves with further arguments, schools and libraries are challenged to prove compliance with the new law before seeking renewal of any federal funding they might be receiving. In some cases, depending on how a school or library subsidizes Internet access, a public meeting must be held to create an Acceptable Use Policy. No additional funding has been set aside to help schools pay for filtering programs. School and library administrators can decide which filtering program to use based on community standards and new guidelines.
Libraries can turn off filtering for adults who wish to conduct appropriate research.
While some say the law sneaked in under the weight of a hefty appropriations bill for the Departments of Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services, others defend its moral and educational worth as the momentum that fueled its passage. As part of our continuing online coverage of the filtering issue, Sara Fitzgerald, director of CoSN's Safeguarding the Wired Schoolhouse project, will answer your questions about filtering laws in Ask the Expert between March 15 and April 20. The following sites can keep you up to date on filtering issues and options. Sponsored by N2H2, the site provides detailed guidelines for bringing your school or public library into compliance with the CHIP, and it has a helpful chart to determine whether your school or library must institute filtering. You can also sign up to receive updates on the legislation.