Whose Responsibility Is It? Tech Devices Come Home

As devices like iPads start being sent home from school to be used for homework and projects, whose responsibility is it to protect children during their online activities? That’s the debate in several schools and districts in Colorado and the consensus is that this is new ground and that only time will tell whose responsibility it will be. One charter school did finally send the iPads home with students, but only after they found adequate online filters. Other schools have asked parents to be responsible for acting to protect children while they are online, with mixed results. Who do you think is responsible for online activities when technology comes home?

Comments

[Diane Kendall]

It seems like this is the big question at the moment. Schools want parents to monitor kid's technology use and parents want schools to do it. Cyberbullying just adds to the issue. As states create laws to deal with cyberbullies, parents may find they have to pay more attention at home because the penalitieis at school are so severe. On the other hand, the Supreme Court has so far refused to weigh in on this and other online harassment issues so First Amendment rights remain clouded.

[Merle Marsh]

And who is responsible for cyberbullying when it takes place at home? Even if problems don't overflow and cause problems in school, do parents want schools to deal with the offenders?