I am a student who, like many others, confronts a lot of stress each day. Video games were my escape, a means to calm my mind so I could concentrate better in class. However, the websites I found to get this escape, like many others before it, has recently been blocked by the school board. This decision curtails our ability to enjoy ourselves during and after school, hindering not just our leisure but also affecting our mental well-being adversely. 

Today, we call upon the school board to reverse this excessive measure. We demand that Spotify, Cool Math Games, DND Beyond, and other similar websites be unblocked on school Chromebooks. These platforms serve as sources of relaxation, learning, and entertainment for many students, playing a crucial role in a balanced school environment. Oxford University research suggests that gaming can have therapeutic benefits and can uplift moods, demonstrating that even websites like Cool Math Games can have a positive impact on our students (source: Oxford University, 2020). Furthermore, platforms like cool math games are not merely entertainment sources, but also harbor an abundance of educational content that can aid our learning process.

This combined with completely non distracting websites like DND beyond, Which is blocked in the games category, does not contain any games at all. It was simply a website that made playing DND, a school approved extracurricular, easier and more fun to play. It was a tool that did not affect teaching, and yet the school System blocked it simply because it was a website that made kids happy.

We urge the school board to recognize the multifaceted utility of these online platforms and to ensure our access to them on school Chromebooks. Let's bring balance into our school day and foster a more holistic and conducive learning environment. To all students in Howard county who see this message,  Please sign this petition to show your support.