School Librarians Dubious of Web Filters at School

A survey conducted by the American Association of School Librarians finds that while librarians believe school Web-filtering programs have helped to cut back on technology-driven distractions in schools, they also have limited students' ability to conduct research and benefit from the social aspects of learning. All survey respondents said their schools use some type of Internet-filtering program, with the most popular being URL-based (70%), keyword-based (60%), and those based on blacklists (47%). The survey also noted that most content-blocking decisions rest at the district level; most requests to unblock sites take 1-2 days.

Posting & Sending “Less Than Appropriate” Photos

Terry Darr, librarian at Loyola Blakefield, an all-boys high school in Baltimore has started sessions at her school that give students the chance to talk about decision-making when using technologies. The groups discussed what to do if someone asks you to take “a less than appropriate” photo to post online.  Many said they’d take the photo as the person asked, for decisions about using it were the responsibility of the other person.  Were they saying that they were hesitant to turn down a friend’s request even though they knew taking the photo was not a good idea? Another question tackled in the sessions was what to do if you receive a nude photo from a girl you know. Most said that they would not forward the photograph. They expressed confusion about what to do with the photo and why some girls think sending out photos like this is a good idea.  The librarian wondered if discussions would be different if the sessions were coed and how honesty would be affected. The sessions focused upon real-life situations and moral decisions that students face today but that they don’t often get the chance to discuss and think about.