Why is the school district not willing to invest in or install filters on laptops that were issued to the students? Since the beginning of the pandemic, kids are failing because they are spending more time on social media, YouTube, playing video games, and accessing inappropriate websites than they do on completing assignments. This is a direct violation of the school district's policy related to inappropriate use of the internet on a school issued device. Parents receive automatic notifications of missing assignments but do not receive notifications of their children viewing inappropriate material or playing games online while in the classroom (virtual or in person). Children can spend an entire day at school and not use the laptops for the intended purpose. Does the school district expect a child (with a prefrontal cortex of their brain that will not be fully developed until they are 24 - 27 years old) to self-monitor their online activities? 

Students should only have access to websites and programs that are truly necessary and conducive to learning. When parents complain of their kids' unlimited access to the world wide web, their voices go unheard. Parents are also denied the option to use their own devices with age-appropriate restrictions. Children are not reprimanded or blocked from accessing inappropriate content and the schools prefer to keep their stats related to suspensions and expulsions relatively low. If a school provides a device to any student, the school should monitor or at least restrict the activity and time spent online. This would help minimize the number of kids falling victim to online predators and cyber-bullying. 

There was a District 2 meeting on 9/18/2021. The following questions were emailed to board members 1 week prior and the same questions were raised at the meeting:
(1) Why does APS not have filters or internet blocks on devices issued to students?
(2) Does APS realize how the lack of internet filters or monitoring students' online activities correlate with the failing grades of the students within the district?
(3) Does APS plan to install internet filters similar to that of other school districts?

 According to a board member "the filters that are in place block children from searching for things related to self harm. There are creative children that find ways to get around filters". (Blaming creative kids?) I informed the board members that there were no filters on the laptop. I also informed then that the recommended free-of-charge Securely App was insufficient and that a student downloaded pornographic images on the school-issued laptop while the app was being used. Parents have to the option to download that particular app and information regarding the app is only available upon request. Using the app or an internet filter is not mandatory. When asked if a school could program laptops to deny children access during school hours, in the middle of the night, or on weekends, my microphone was muted.

What is the purpose of in-person learning if the students are required to use laptops in every class instead of books? We have been told that COVID-19 has changed the way that classroom instruction is provided. If our children are attending face-to-face classes and are instructed to click on a link to watch a video to learn different concepts, they are basically teaching themselves (if they choose not to play a video game or visit any other inappropriate website). This is not how our tax dollars should be allocated. Roughly $150,000,000 of government issued COVID-19 funds were spent on mental health support for teachers & students, recruiting & hiring new teachers & psychologists, purchasing additional laptops but nothing related internet filters or internet safety.

If the Atlanta Public Schools District wants to be a leader in education, they can start by restricting our children's internet activities and access to inappropriate material.