Schools block everything on the internet because students may access inappropriate content. The internet can cause distraction during learning hours or even enable bullying of students in schools. However, it is critical to note that the internet has become a basic need today. It has brought the world together and made communication easy compared to the past. Many fields now require an internet connection, which has helped people acquire more knowledge. In schools, the internet can be used for research and presentation purposes.
Key Takeaways
- Schools block everything on the internet to prevent students from accessing inappropriate content.
- They block everything on the internet to ensure students focus entirely on their studies.
- Blocking everything on the internet in schools may limit student access to more research information.
- Blocking everything on the internet keeps school staff focused on their job, enabling efficient learning activities in schools.
- It enables schools to prevent their students from online predators.
- It helps to protect students from online bullying.
- It Reduces the chances of wasting time in school as students won’t be busy chatting with their friends on social media.
- Blocking everything helps maintain student privacy which may be shared online.
Reasons Why Schools Block Everything on the Internet
Despite schools providing free internet for students to perform various tasks like presentations, research, and assignments, most schools prefer blocking everything on the internet.
Here are the common reasons why most schools block everything on the internet;
To Minimize Student Distraction
Students can access games, social media, videos, and movies on the internet. If the internet is not blocked, students can game online or access anything they want at any time. Internet distracts them as they will concentrate more online than during class sessions.
With unblocked internet, students can spend most of their time on social media instead of doing school assignments. For instance, schools block sites like; Snapchat, Facebook, and TikTok, which are commonly used for interaction.
Most students like socializing online. Imagine a student who is bored in class and has all access to the internet. They will start communicating with their peers online, affecting most students’ performance.
To Avoid Cyberbullying
Online bullying is a real deal, more so when minors are targeted. There are different types of cyberbullying, such as online harassment and cyberstalking. Teachers and parents strongly discourage cyberbullying, but Some students will bully others and make fun of or disgrace them.
Bullying can lead to low self-esteem, and students bullied cannot concentrate on their studies. Internet with no restrictions can facilitate this easily because they can do it anonymously and escape punishment.
Schools block the website or use parental control apps and keystroke techniques to minimize cases of online bullying in schools.
To Block Students from Accessing Inappropriate Content
Students are inquisitive and can be influenced to do anything. Not all online content is appropriate for them.
With unrestricted internet, students can access adult content or even gambling sites. If one of their friends is addicted to gambling, they can influence others to start gambling, destroying their lives.
Also, if the internet is not blocked, students can download adult content and watch it later with their peers in school, which can lead to inappropriate behavior. To avoid such a trend, schools block the internet so that students cannot access inappropriate content and maintain good morals among students.
To Keep School Staff Focused on Their Job
Teachers and other staff members in school can be glued online and forget to do their job. You can get teachers busy chatting with their friends online instead of attending class lessons, or staff members can go online and watch newly released movies or series and forget to do their work. So schools block everything to ensure that their staff performs their duties effectively.
To Protect Students from Online Predators
In this social media era, we have different categories of people. Some people take advantage of minors by scamming them. They send students links that may sell their data when you click them. Online predators can sway children in their adolescent stage to do anything.
These predators can trick students into being involved in drug taking and trafficking in schools. For this reason, most schools block everything on the internet.
Advantages of Blocking Everything on the Internet in Schools
- Blocking everything in schools helps students focus on their studies since there is nothing to distract them while studying. Some online sites like Facebook can be distractive as students may be busy chatting with their friends while studies are going on
- It helps students avoid engaging in immoral activities, which may be influenced by accessing an inappropriate site with adult content.
- It helps reduce time wastage in schools since students will not waste much time online on social media pages. It is no secret that students may waste too much time online on social media rather than doing their assignments and homework when connected to the internet.
- Internet blocking protects student privacy by blocking social media sites like Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook, where students can share private information about themselves.
Disadvantages of Blocking Everything on the Internet in Schools
- Students cannot do their research online: Students can access much information about their study topics online. Blocking the internet in schools limits their research resource, denying them the opportunity to learn more.
Some people think that blocking everything in school goes against students’ rights to information; students are denied their right to access more educational information as the school blocks websites.
- Students often feel they are denied a chance to make their own decision as they do not have a say on which sites to visit or which information to access.
- It denies students a chance to socialize with other students from different parts of the world, as they can compare their research and experience with other students from other regions. For instance, an architect student from America can learn something from an architect student from Italy. The internet has made it easy to communicate with other people worldwide through a click.
References