Although he was not speaking about telecommunications it is an apt phrase for the challenges of telecommunications to almost every segment of our lives. Using the Internet involves us all in relationships that are far more complex than those imagined by the original drafters of the Constitution. Pertaining to Schools Educators are on the front lines defining advanced citizenship for students who are accessing, using, producing and disseminating information on the Internet. The rights and obligations associated with these processes are in flux and ambiguous.
Nothing is settled.
Practicing advanced citizenship during rapid technological and social change is not easy. Contractual relationships and conventional wisdom regarding copyright, free speech, privacy, equal access, and academic freedom are being redefined. The new definitions are being argued in courtrooms, on university campuses, at faculty meetings, at school board meetings and in corporate headquarters, in private homes, in classrooms, and in Chat Rooms on the Net. The Internet provides new opportunities for direct participation in governance. It is now easier and more important than ever for citizens to consider and provide feedback regarding their interpretations of some of the fundamental laws of the land.