Our district uses a site called Securly to "protect" and "focus" kids. However, many students in our district don't see it that way. We, as students, see Securly as an oppressive, corrupt, and vile prevention of our ability to do our work, learn, and do several activities that are considered too similar to a game.

 Scratch is a fun coding site that can be used to teach students coding skills. It is also a site used for entertainment, and developing base level coding skills.

Recently, several students logged on to their computers to find that Scratch was blocked. This is something we find outrageous, being the final straw that is falling onto the Camel's back, continuing the oppression students feel is put on us by the school system.

I, from personal experience, have developed coding skills through scratch, getting better and learning more than school at some points. Please restore scratch as a website that can be used to help students learn coding, and have a source of entertainment through the corrupt blocks Securly, our school's blocking software, puts on us students. Please don't let the camel of the students break.

More Reasons to Support: 

• Scratch got myself and others interested in music design, inspiring me to make songs and game music.
• Scratch has inspired many, creating storylines and creative games
• Scratch is a tool, and a toy, but quite different, as it is actually educational.

Why Securly is bad: 

• Securly blocks any search containing a YouTube embed. (ex. "How to make a copy of a word document")
• Securly blocks sites that should be considered acceptable, and teachers anyway make students shut their chromebooks when we aren't allowed to use them
• If you think about it, Securly is a spyware, taking control of our computers.