LME 501-Blog 2: CIPA and AUP

The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) are necessary laws/policies for today’s students and teachers. However, it is important to make sure that usage is not under or over blocked due to content that may be “deemed” inappropriate by a filter. As educators, we need to speak for our students and make sure that the AUP is updated to meet the needs of our ever changing technological world. Proper technology needs to be accessible to all students in order to meet the demands of competition in the 21st century work place.

In this assignment, I learned what the acronym CIPA stood for and its purpose in education. CIPA was developed to address concerns about children’s access to obscene or harmful content over the Internet (CIPA, 2015) and is the key federal law affecting Information and communication technologies (ICT). There are certain requirements schools or libraries must agree upon in order to receive discounts for Internet access through E-rate programs (CIPA, 2015). I feel that CIPA’s purpose has a place in education as long as it is not detrimental to the learning of our students. Since CIPA has been around, there have been many questions about specifics when it comes what is “harmful” to students. Because CIPA became law in 2000, there is no stipulations on specific requirements for school districts using social networking or other Web 2.0 applications (AUP, 2011). Therefore, the updated information in district AUPs are usually based on what the district deems appropriate. In 2008, a new public law passed, “Protecting Children in the 21st Century” requiring schools to educate minors about appropriate online behavior (AUP, 2011). In Minors’ First Amendment Rights: CIPA & School Libraries, there is one statement that really stood out to me. “Students do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate” (Chmara, 2010). This article also states, “the Internet has become a powerful tool for educators and students in extending their reach for knowledge” (Chmara, 2010). I fully support both statements. When I look back at how often I research information online to use in my lessons, I know that these are true statements. I couldn’t imagine there being limited Internet to use when planning instruction for my students. Therefore, why try to put so many limits on what the Internet can do for the education of students today? Students can discover themselves, identify with others, learn about different cultures, and participate in online learning with others all over the country. By blocking or filtering too much information, learning can be limited for students. Our students need a voice to advocate for their education. Internet availability with minimal filtering is an area that needs it more than ever before.

Acceptable use policies have been around for a very long time. I can recall many meetings in the last 13 years of teaching in which we had to sign a paper saying we totally understood the rights and wrongs of using technology in the classroom and on our assigned laptops. However, how many people truly real the “fine print”? With technology being everywhere we look today, it is crucial that children of all ages know and understand the acceptable use policies. It is up to the educators to discuss this information with our students. It is also important that AUPs get updated to meet the demands of new technology being developed and used. In Minors’ First Amendment Rights: CIPA & School Libraries, the author states that one type of legislation calls for protecting children from cyberbullying (Chmara, 2010). I feel very strongly that this is an area of concern and needs to be reviewed. Many states are creating anti-bullying, hazing, and harassment laws (Chmara, 2010). If students are informed frequently about what being a good digital citizen represents, I feel that using social networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter could be invaluable to a child’s education. Our school district has their own Facebook account, as do individual schools in this district. This provides a great tool for communication between the district and the community on key events, school board meetings, etc. If used properly, social networking can be a huge asset in education and increase academic achievement due to students being able to share information and learn how to discuss topics appropriately.

In conclusion, after reading many documents and articles about CIPA and AUPs, I feel that it is the duty of educators to make sure that we are doing what is best academically and socially for our students. Even though, as a teacher, there are fears of our students using the Internet and coming across “harmful” materials or pictures, we must provide an environment that will maximize learning for all students. By blocking or filtering most websites, our students are not being exposed to daily information and are unable to make choices that will affect their everyday lives. As a parent and teacher, I want to protect the young as much as possible, but sheltering can be more harmful than opening their eyes to the worldwide web. Doug Johnson (2012) said it best in his article, Freedom to Learn (blocking and due process). He said, “Librarians, we need to take a leadership role in addressing school district policy-making. Decisions about allowing access or limiting access should be done from a group representing a wide-range of stakeholders.” Advocating for our students is what needs to happen in order for changes to occur that meet their academic needs.

Resources

Acceptable use policies in a web 2.0 & mobile era: A guide for school districts. (2011,

February 18). Retrieved September 13, 2016, from Consortium for School Networking

(NJ1), http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED517922

Children’s Internet protection act. (2015, November 3). Retrieved September 13, 2016, from

https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act

Chmara, T. (2010). Minors’ First Amendment Rights: CIPA & School Libraries. , 39(1), 16–21.

Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/

aaslissues/bwad/KNOW_39_1_MinorsFirst_16-21.pdf

Johnson, D. (2012, June 12). Freedom to learn (blocking and due process). Retrieved

September 13, 2016, from http://www.doug-johnson.com/dougwri/freedom-to-learn-

blocking-and-due-process.html