GoGuardian has been implemented district-wide across the Peninsula School District as an online instructional tool. The problem is, its use creates serious privacy concerns. Administrators have access to students' search history, queries, and even private messages using the software—a privilege that could be misused.

More concerning is that GoGuardian doesn't just monitor what's happening on school-owned devices—it monitors any device that has signed into a school account. If a student signs into their school account on their own phone, tablet, or computer, GoGuardian can track their online activity on that device as well, even when they are home or off campus. This level of monitoring is not justified and completely unnecessary.

Also, GoGuardian grants access to employees outside our school district, so individuals having no connection at all with students, teachers, or the district as a whole may have access to personal details. These individuals view very private information, like full names, addresses, date of birth, and record of what they search. It may be said students "don't have anything to hide" when on school machines, but GoGuardian saves and stores private data much greater than school use, which places students under unwanted privacy risks.

Overcollection of data like this can have severe detrimental effects, especially on children, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF, Online Privacy Guide for Parents) states. Similarly, a study done by the American Civil Liberties Union found that 95% of American students polled care about online privacy (ACLU, Youth Surveillance Report). Despite these issues, GoGuardian still runs wild, harvesting copious amounts of information without students being able to effectively weigh in on how that data is being utilized or kept.

We believe our learning shouldn't have to be bought at the cost of our personal lives. While online safety is important, there are better ways to ensure students' safety without surveillance like GoGuardian provides. We urge the Peninsula School District to ban GoGuardian and respect our right to privacy in life and online without sacrificing the quality and safety of our learning.

We urge all teachers, parents, students, and compassionate citizens of society to sign this petition and stand up for our right to privacy.