Comments on: Educating Trumps Blocking http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/ Superintendent of Schools writes about learning and school management in rural Western New York. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:30:25 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: mark http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/comment-page-1/#comment-1290 mark Sun, 14 Jan 2007 02:23:10 +0000 http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/#comment-1290 Brings home to me the depth of your dilemma over there Don. Schools staff here are likewise denied access to anonymous email, but SysAdmins _are_ allowed, in the interest of fulfilling their jobs presumably. I wish I could think of an answer to your problems, although it seems the glaringly obvious one of your central supplier filtering resposibly and reactively is the only sensible option really. He're hoping they wise up soon! Brings home to me the depth of your dilemma over there Don. Schools staff here are likewise denied access to anonymous email, but SysAdmins _are_ allowed, in the interest of fulfilling their jobs presumably.

I wish I could think of an answer to your problems, although it seems the glaringly obvious one of your central supplier filtering resposibly and reactively is the only sensible option really. He’re hoping they wise up soon!

]]> By: Don http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/comment-page-1/#comment-1288 Don Sat, 13 Jan 2007 19:33:34 +0000 http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/#comment-1288 I've looked at SchoolGuardian last year and it does a great job, but our budget can't absorb that cost at present. We did use Squid and Dansguardian a couple of years ago. I'd like to go back to them because of the local autonomy. However our upline ISP (BOCES) tells us we must block anonymous email, i.e gmail,yahoo etc. The Federal Government Erate dollars have us over a bit of a barrel. How do we satisfy Children's Internet Protection Act requirements and allow students have access to rich content like Youtube and Google Video etc. I'm glad to have this conversation because you are stimulating me to find a solution. Thanks. I’ve looked at SchoolGuardian last year and it does a great job, but our budget can’t absorb that cost at present. We did use Squid and Dansguardian a couple of years ago. I’d like to go back to them because of the local autonomy. However our upline ISP (BOCES) tells us we must block anonymous email, i.e gmail,yahoo etc. The Federal Government Erate dollars have us over a bit of a barrel. How do we satisfy Children’s Internet Protection Act requirements and allow students have access to rich content like Youtube and Google Video etc.

I’m glad to have this conversation because you are stimulating me to find a solution. Thanks.

]]> By: mark http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/comment-page-1/#comment-1287 mark Sat, 13 Jan 2007 19:15:37 +0000 http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/#comment-1287 Yes that's true Don. This is the most intelligent of those dumb agents tho' - for instance you can deny en masse those filter bypassing students! The answer is to have local control. You can then specify a specific web page to be unblocked. We use ABTutor control in the classroom (i'm starting to sound like a commercial!)- teachers can view all pupils screens at once and block and unblock URLs at will, even launch a specific URL on all pupils PCs he or she wishes. Yes that’s true Don. This is the most intelligent of those dumb agents tho’ – for instance you can deny en masse those filter bypassing students! The answer is to have local control. You can then specify a specific web page to be unblocked.
We use ABTutor control in the classroom (i’m starting to sound like a commercial!)- teachers can view all pupils screens at once and block and unblock URLs at will, even launch a specific URL on all pupils PCs he or she wishes.

]]> By: Jonathan http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/comment-page-1/#comment-1286 Jonathan Sat, 13 Jan 2007 15:53:49 +0000 http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/#comment-1286 Hi Kimberly, I haven't visited in a while, but when I do, I am not disappointed. What a sensible post and what a sensible decision. Some of the younger teachers in my school communicate with even younger siblings and cousins through MySpace. (one of your commenters mentioned teachers, rather than kids, being inconvenienced). Fortunately we have students who showed us how to bypass the blocks! Our policy in NYC is ridiculous (that probably extends far beyond blocking, but those are other stories) Jonathan Hi Kimberly,

I haven’t visited in a while, but when I do, I am not disappointed. What a sensible post and what a sensible decision.

Some of the younger teachers in my school communicate with even younger siblings and cousins through MySpace. (one of your commenters mentioned teachers, rather than kids, being inconvenienced). Fortunately we have students who showed us how to bypass the blocks! Our policy in NYC is ridiculous (that probably extends far beyond blocking, but those are other stories)

Jonathan

]]> By: Don Watkins http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/comment-page-1/#comment-1285 Don Watkins Sat, 13 Jan 2007 15:34:42 +0000 http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/#comment-1285 I know, we used it at Franklinville for a couple of years. Dansguardian is great. My problem was how to do it transparently. Open source has gained a great foothold in the area in recent years, but we need some technical support. I've been a leader in its implementation but there are a couple of bugs that keep me from fully implementing it. I believe also that there are tremendous resources found on Youtube and Google Video that shouldn't be blocked but at present how do we block the objectionable and open up the fabulous. Filters are just dumb agents that operate on algorithms rather than logic. I know, we used it at Franklinville for a couple of years. Dansguardian is great. My problem was how to do it transparently. Open source has gained a great foothold in the area in recent years, but we need some technical support. I’ve been a leader in its implementation but there are a couple of bugs that keep me from fully implementing it. I believe also that there are tremendous resources found on Youtube and Google Video that shouldn’t be blocked but at present how do we block the objectionable and open up the fabulous. Filters are just dumb agents that operate on algorithms rather than logic.

]]> By: mark http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/comment-page-1/#comment-1282 mark Sat, 13 Jan 2007 11:54:52 +0000 http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/#comment-1282 Open source Dansguardian is the best there is IMHO. DG is a content filter rather than a dumb URL filter, so you can filter content types very effectively. DG is also affiliated with Smoothwall who sell a comercial product to schools too. Both highly recommended. Open source Dansguardian is the best there is IMHO. DG is a content filter rather than a dumb URL filter, so you can filter content types very effectively. DG is also affiliated with Smoothwall who sell a comercial product to schools too. Both highly recommended.

]]> By: Don Watkins http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/comment-page-1/#comment-1281 Don Watkins Sat, 13 Jan 2007 04:16:58 +0000 http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/#comment-1281 I like your idea of being proactive about a solution to filtering. Filtering is a pain and I'm inclined to be a civil libertarian, but how do you fail to comply with CIPA and still get your federal money? Have you considered using an open source solution like Squid and Squidguard? I just learned of your blog from Tim C. at CA BOCES. I like your idea of being proactive about a solution to filtering. Filtering is a pain and I’m inclined to be a civil libertarian, but how do you fail to comply with CIPA and still get your federal money? Have you considered using an open source solution like Squid and Squidguard? I just learned of your blog from Tim C. at CA BOCES.

]]> By: mark http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/comment-page-1/#comment-1265 mark Mon, 08 Jan 2007 19:48:36 +0000 http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/#comment-1265 The issue is not 'unblocking' but competent blocking. It is possible, you just need someone who knows what they're doing to set it up for you. The issue is not ‘unblocking’ but competent blocking. It is possible, you just need someone who knows what they’re doing to set it up for you.

]]> By: Charles Rinaldi http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/comment-page-1/#comment-1261 Charles Rinaldi Mon, 08 Jan 2007 14:28:35 +0000 http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/#comment-1261 Today I received a taste of my own medicine. As the G-Town superintendent, I am working with Kim Moritz and our Board of Education to lessen the internet blocking that occurs on staff/student computers. Usually, my computer is not blocked. Last week my hard drive crashed so today I have a temporary computer with internet access blocked the same as everyone else in the district. This morning I tried to search for material on the philosophy of leadership and was sumarily blocked. Very frustrating. If this is what our staff and students experience on a regular basis it is definitely time for a change. Today I received a taste of my own medicine. As the G-Town superintendent, I am working with Kim Moritz and our Board of Education to lessen the internet blocking that occurs on staff/student computers. Usually, my computer is not blocked. Last week my hard drive crashed so today I have a temporary computer with internet access blocked the same as everyone else in the district. This morning I tried to search for material on the philosophy of leadership and was sumarily blocked. Very frustrating. If this is what our staff and students experience on a regular basis it is definitely time for a change.

]]> By: Neil Winton http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/comment-page-1/#comment-1258 Neil Winton Sun, 07 Jan 2007 22:25:01 +0000 http://ghsprincipal.edublogs.org/2007/01/05/educating-trumps-blocking/#comment-1258 This is great news! If only more people in education were to be as enlightened. I'd be really interested in finding out how things develop as I have long been campaigning for a similar move in Scottish Education. Now, that's one school down, only ?????? to go! This is great news! If only more people in education were to be as enlightened. I’d be really interested in finding out how things develop as I have long been campaigning for a similar move in Scottish Education.

Now, that’s one school down, only ?????? to go!

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