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Web filters target bad apples but restrict all at valley schools, libraries
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JOHN GURZINSKI/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Students use computers Thursday at Southeast Career and Technical Academy. Some students taking classes in web design and other technical programs say the Clark County School District's Internet filters are impeding what they can do for their classes. » Buy this photo
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
While designing a website for a dog adoption agency, high school students at the Southwest Career and Technical Academy could not download pictures of puppies because the school's Internet filter blocked access to sites such as Google Images.
Students in the school's marketing club were precluded from participating in a national competition because filters on school computers would not allow access to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Students had wanted to explore how the M Resort was using Twitter to promote its brand, Southwest junior Victoria Cana said.
The Clark County School District spent $104 million to build the Southwest Career and Technical Academy, at 7050 W. Shelbourne Ave. near Rainbow Boulevard. But students at the campus that opened in 2009-10 say district policies have stifled their creativity and prohibited them from taking full advantage of the school's technology.
It's like taking a driver's education course without actually driving, said sophomore Jonathan Cervantes, 15. "At the end of the course you can't drive a car because you might crash."
The district makes "every reasonable attempt to limit access to inappropriate material by using an Internet filtering system," according to regulation 3991, which also states students can be disciplined for cyber-bullying or violating "intellectual property laws."
While the rules are well-intended, students argue they keep them from making real-world applications of theory.
The Clark County Library District also filters minors' Internet access unless they have permission from their parents or guardians.
Allen Lichtenstein, the general counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, said the school district has as much right as employers to curb access to websites. Educationally, "it would make sense to find a system that doesn't throw out the baby with the bath water," Lichtenstein said.
A better Internet experience might be learning what images can be downloaded under legal exceptions to copyright known as fair use, he said. "Students could learn how to ask for permission" for an image.
Kelly Bucherie, the academic manager who oversees technical academies, said the district allows for exceptions to the Internet filtering system, but the protocol apparently is not user-friendly.
Bucherie said she is looking for a happy medium where "we still have the watchdog effect but kids feel like they can explore their projects."
Bucherie said a possible solution might be equipping a few computers in a classroom with unfiltered Internet access.
Cinthya Bermudez, 16, a junior who takes drafting classes at Southeast Career and Technical Academy, 5710 Mountain Vista Drive, near Russell Road, appreciates the need for filtering.
"I'm not saying all students, but there are some people who would like to go on inappropriate sites, see things they shouldn't see," Bermudez said.
Cana, 15, said students are not asking for unrestricted access to the Internet, but are simply seeking more consideration when working on relevant class projects such as web design.
Currently, students often must use their home computers to complete assignments. Cana said that's impractical because "a lot of students can't afford the technology. When they go home, they can to the sites but they can't apply the software we have at the school."
During a recent convention of the Association of Career and Technical Education held in Las Vegas, Cervantes drew cheers and some nervous laughter when he called upon educators to trust in students by removing Internet filters.
Cervantes and Cana participated in a panel discussion in which speakers from around the nation advocated for an educational experience that was open to risk-taking. Fears about that one bad apple can spoil the educational experience for everyone, they said.
Gregg Betheil, executive director of school programs and partnerships for New York City schools, said Internet filters have the net effect of "telling kids there are other places where they need to go for their learning."
John Lock, chief executive officer of Project Lead the Way, a provider of science and math curriculum, said, "The dropout problem is not necessarily a dropout problem. They are not dropping out of learning. They are dropping out of school, but they still want to learn, grow and do something productive with their lives."
School "feels like a prison because they're locked down," he said.
Lock said educators think of new technology the same way his mother reacted to the calculator.
"My mom said, 'I don't want you using that thing because it will keep you from learning how to do math. You don't understand how important it is to do math.'
"I remember thinking, 'Wow, she doesn't really get it.' The ability for me to use this tool goes far beyond what I could do otherwise," Lock said.
Southwest Career and Technical Academy Principal Felicia Nemcek acknowledged that students are often far ahead of adults in understanding new technology.
"When we give them information, they always take it a step further because they're digitally connected," Nemcek said. "We have a hard time keeping up with them."
Nemcek believes students still need to be monitored and "know there are consequences," but she also agreed with the principle of more Internet access.
"We need to look at ways to open it up more for them to do some great work," Nemcek said.
Contact reporter James Haug at jhaug@reviewjournal.com or 702-374-7917.
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I understand the anger and frustration as web filtering is causing among a lot of students. However, IT does not want to police what people do online. IT, at least most IT, want to provide a good experience with technology. With that said IT must filter students and teachers because there are laws regarding those things. IT only provides what is required by law and what IT needs to be done to get funding from the state. This issue is not about IT; it is about what IT must do to get funding from the state and what laws have been passed to do filtering. Other than that IT prefers not to have to police/filter the Internet.
CC creative commons licensed images are the common solution for designers... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3rksT1q4eg&feature=related
ask ccsd administrators to give you access to at least cc creative commons licensed images.
these are available for use in creative projects free of charge an legal
also blocking websites like facebook, youtube and twitter can be counter productive to learning about web design. also it would be nice if students could have web hosting space in order to get entire the real world experience. maybe if were lucky ccsd will spend another 6 million on sap software too?
Ironically enough, CCSD has a Facebook page.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Clark-County-School-District/345886377995
Why can they have access in the offices, but not in the schools?
I understand. I teach web science and have to speak about FTP as a theory, since the filter will not let me actually do anything. It is filtered for kindergarteners . There should be 3 levels of filtering: K-4, 5-8, 9-12. CCSD, being the least funded most backwards district I have ever worked for. They stifle any creativity. They want us all to be cult sheeple that attend the cult temples on Wed. evenings.
You don't understand the school that he attends is a magnet school this school is free but offers program classes such as graphic design and using your program area is a requirement for most projects there and proper use of technology are you aware how difficult it was to do a project in my Photoshop class there because I was not able to use google images and it's not just about paying for Internet it's about paying for thousand dollar sets of programs to work on our projects also a factor is how good is you computer to properly use this technology
Train them early that the Government is in control. Get them used to it. No more choices for the individual... That was a silly idea your parents tried and failed. Much better if Uncle Harry and Big Daddy Obama make the choices for you.
We're from the government, we're here to help!
This just goes to show why I use the term "government schools" instead of the misleading "public schools". The "public" (you and I) don't own the schools, don't control the schools, and aren't responsible for what they do.
The GOVERNMENT owns and runs the schools and they will do whatever they want.
People can't afford a computer at home? But how many have cell phones and texting plans they pay for every month? TV? Cable? Cigarettes? Alcohol? Fast food? But no money for Internet? Really?
And it's time the districts got around to FILTERING OUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION contacts with Latin America. Taxpayers and citizens need access without paying for Illegal Invaders.
Don't expect any great changes from the school board, the home grown house wives, haven''t a clue.
The filters the school district uses make no sense. I tried to get info on the Great Wall of China ...all of it was blocked.