At Fowler, Google Chat has been an effective way of communicating amongst students and teachers for quite a while now. Unlike emails, Google Chat gave you more minimalistic notifications, had less clutter, easier navigation, and was a valuable accessory for those who didn't have internet access at home for socialization. Group chats, servers, and direct messages were all different ways scholars could communicate with each other mostly for fun, their education, or both. Google Chat was also a beneficial way to strengthen relationships, increase social skills, and learn over the screen with others. Students far away from each other would be able to converse digitally, without having to physically see each other in person to discuss matters over a project, assignment, homework, and such. If it were to ever be a distraction in which kids choose to chat instead of doing work, let's consider how teachers already have the upper hand of classroom relay. Instead of banning a beneficial site for the whole school, it would be more fair to just let teachers temporarily block Google Chat if they ever feel the need to. Since some time after the departure of the 2021-2022 school year, Google Chat has been removed, and students no longer have the privilege of using the program. Some or most kids now have to scroll through their emails filled with spam, website updates, newsletters, and a bunch of junk just to look for their classmate's or teacher's message. Others may have to suffer from the lack of socializing due to not having a personal device or strict guardians, in which their Chromebook could be considered their only sanctuary where they can talk with friends. With this website that fulfilled many online memories as well as schoolwork, it is easy for many to say that they are upset upon hearing about the removal of Google Chat.

This petition is one that strives to bring the easy and effective way of bringing Google Chat back into Fowler Middle School. (ps. don't email this around using gmail! school monitors are able to see and interesect them. We suggest sharing this petition around using social media. ie. discord, instagram, t*ktok...)