As those who have surfed the net know, the bottom line is that it is impossibleto give students Internet access and control the material that is ultimatelyavailable to them. Even if the local host restricts access to specificmaterial, it is probably available on someone else's machine. The bestpreventative action is education. Adverse reaction to the network from parents and communitymembers is normally due to a lack of knowledge about the possibilities affordedby the technology. Therefore, appropriate education is crucial.
Schools mustdemonstrate to parents the educational potential of the network and itsresources.
Parents need to see what students and teachers are doing on thenetwork, how they are using it and what the educational value is perceived tobe. Parents must know that undesirable material does exist on the Internet andthat schools cannot prevent students from accessing it. Community discussionsabout the pros and cons of network use in the classroom must be fostered. Ultimately, parents should be left with the choice of whether they trust theirchild to venture into cyberspace. Educators need to take some of the responsibility for supporting students inthe proper use of the network.