Schools are limiting the websites students and teachers can access. This limited access to the internet has some benefits and drawbacks. Schools are shutting down certain websites because it is either an inappropriate website because of cheating, inappropriate content, or kids are playing games during class on those websites. Sometimes schools block the websites that kids need. Every once in a while I’ll be trying to look something up for a paper, questions, information and I can’t get that information because the website is blocked by my school.  

Other kids that are \trying to play games during class are trying to find other ways to play games during class. Some would say it’s an addiction but in reality it’s just kids getting bored in class and trying to do something more fun than what they are learning. Kids are going as far as making games on calculators and playing games there instead of on phones or computers. Other kids are making their own games on websites just so those websites aren’t blocked.

The American Association of School Libraries said that 98% of schools are now using filtering software to block students from getting on certain websites. There’s a reason that they blocked websites but there needs to be a double check or they look into the website more because kids can’t do their work. It’s hard to tell the right person about the website so they can unblock it, especially in a big school.

Dr. Jenna Conan, the Director of Instructional Technology at All Saints’ Episcopal School in Fort Worth, Texas, says that the reason they block websites is because the website is either inappropriate or unsafe. Conan also said,“WiFi is provided to support learning, so sites that don’t promote learning could be blocked if there is a good reason such as if they are a major distraction for students in class.” Sense that All Saints’ is a school that has kids under 18 they have a responsibility to make sure that inappropriate websites are blocked. 

This isn’t just a problem at private schools Bryer McDonald, a student at Brock ISD says that “I can’t do some of my research projects because I can’t get on websites to look up people and what they have done.” Justin Mucerino from All Saints said that “he could almost get on every website except some stuff on youtube.” There is a definite difference between public schools and private schools. Public schools get more games blocked and inappropriate but private schools just really block inappropriate websites.