If a school decided in the past to use filtering software to protect students from inappropriate information, the reasons for making that decision have not changed. We must be very careful, however, to ensure that the policies that protect students do not also prevent teachers from providing their students with valuable learning experiences. Too often, teachers have worked at home to identify and select Web pages for use in classroom lessons, only to find that a network filter prevents students from using those sites. Often, this kind of brick wall brings the learning activities to a screeching halt. At best, the teacher must spend valuable time working through bureaucratic channels to have the site released for use, which is often too little too late.
Teachers are the instructional leaders of their classrooms.
Teachers should also control the information that enters the classroom via the Internet. If a teacher cannot use a Web page that he or she has evaluated and selected based on curriculum considerations, then that teacher should at least be able to type a password into the computer that immediately releases that page and makes it available for classroom use. It is time for schools to rethink their acceptable use policies. Although safety should remain an important aspect of AUPs, such policies should also promote effective use of the Internet and ensure that every student benefits fully from the substantial investments schools have made in educational technology. Inc. All Rights Reserved.