DDHS blocked websites should be at an extent 

Posted Jan. 26 2024

By Nuurto Gedi

Cub Reporter

Blocking certain websites within the David Douglas School District is limiting students’  access to information needs to be a balance between websites the District blocks. 

 Today, the internet plays an important role in our lives, and it’s used for about everything, and I mean everything. It's a source for everyone, especially students, to gather  information, a platform for communication, and a way for them to expand their knowledge. While it’s essential to protect students from harmful content, it’s also essential to consider the complications upon  students for specific sites and to maintain a safe and free internet while keeping them safe. Limiting useful websites for students takes away the opportunity to have  access to valuable  resources. 

Reconsidering blocking websites comes with the importance of freedom of expression.  The internet has quickly become a global place where individuals can share their thoughts, ideas, and our opinions. By limiting their access, we risk suppressing this freedom to express ourselves explore, and learn about the new information we may have not known before. It's through engaging with different perspectives on things we may be interested in which furthers our understanding and growth. Many students have a lot of free time during their class time, and not being able to scroll through and browse about new topics, prevents that and increases their hatred towards  school.

Blocking websites impedes our access to information and increases our knowledge. The internet greatly impacts how we learn and explore the world, and the questions we have unanswered. It's crucial to have an open internet that encourages our curiosity, to have answers to the roaming questions in our head, as well as support lifelong learning. For example, if a student writing an important essay and you’re trying to read example articles related to your topic and the article is blocked, it shows the fact that some websites shouldn’t be blocked, and it's just useless. Instead of blocking, we should focus on promoting responsible internet usage for  students and provide them with the tools that navigate us to browse through the internet safely. 

While the intention of prevent users from sites, it can also have unintended consequences. It can create a false sense of security, which makes students become determined, to find a way to access to the site they want. Determined users can find several alternatives to find blocked websites, which puts them at even greater risks, putting them in very extreme danger, one of the most important Instead, administrators should put their time into prioritizing a way to educate users about potential dangers, they may unintentionally cause for themselves. By persuading students to make informed decisions, we can create a safer environment without sacrificing any dangers. 

While the blocking of certain websites may be necessary in some ways, It’s also important to allow students to have freedom of speech, to have access to several valuable resources, and to teach them internet safety. Working towards having access to the internet for students while keeping them safe is a powerful tool for growth, connection, and helpful for both students and teachers.