The Downingtown Area School District has recently decided to enforce the use of Securly, a proctoring app and a blantant violation of privacy. 

Securly will monitor students' internet searches and social media posts; flag them for references that suggest such things as drug use, cyberbullying or suicide; and share students' internet browsing histories with parents who want them. 

Students at Downingtown East, Downingtown West, and Downingtown STEM are being forced to install Securly, even if they bring their own personal device to school. Otherwise, the Wifi - even the guest one - will block students from numerous websites. 

For example, McAfee's secure search (a service many students have paid for) uses Yahoo and has been blocked, causing these students to have to first go to google.com and then search what they need to each and every time they want to look something up. 

Students have already suffered difficulty completing their assignments in school due to the blocking of news websites and other websites used by students in their research. Even Spotify is blocked, so students are not allowed to listen to music while working. 

This is an outrageous invasion of student privacy, freedom, and rights. We cannot stand for a policy that brings so much harm and impedes the education of the students of our school. 

Other schools have been successful in their efforts to petition proctoring apps being enforced on their students and I'm sure we can do the same. 

Please consider signing this petition to protect the rights, safety, and educational environment of the students in the Downingtown Area School District.