Trish Lannon
LS 521 Spring 2002
February 4, 2002
Journal Article #1

Borja, Rhea R. (January 16, 2002), Internet Filtering Is Balancing Act For Many Schools, Education Week. Retrieved February 3, 2002, from http://www.edweek.com/ew/newstory.cfm?slug=18filter.h21&keywords=internet

To filter or not to filter, that is the question being raised by this article. The Children's Internet Protection Act requires that by July of this year, any schools receiving federal funds for Internet use or connections, must have a filtering system in place, or they will lose their funding. However, some school districts find the request to be in direct violation of their First Amendment rights. They also believe it doesn't teach students how to deal with the real world of the Internet. The other problem, is the cost of the software and the cost of running it. Many educators believe that the money is better spent on curriculum needs. Correct Internet use should be taught and there should be consequences set up if students, or teachers, abuse those privileges. The overall feeling from the article is that we need to empower the students and teach them what to do when they find themselves facing inappropriate material.

I was quite astonished to find out that there is a mandate concerning filtering systems. The argument of "do I or don't I" has been around for years, but it has never been forced upon us. I personally don't believe in filtering systems. What I do believe in is educating teachers and students, having guidelines for Internet use, and having those guidelines signed by every student and every teacher. I do take issue with the statement that money is better spent on curriculum. I try so hard to teach educators that technology (computers especially) is integrated into our curriculum. It is not something that should only be treated as separate. So by making a statement that money is better spent on curriculum makes me want to stand up and shout that technology is part of the curriculum! I don't think we should spend our funds on filtering systems, but if it were spent on training teachers and used to develop a set of guidelines for Internet use, then the money would be well spent and it would benefit our curriculum.