[OPEN] Bug/Error: Forums now blocked by LEA

GrumbleDook · 07-01-2008, 03:36 PM

I know it may seem strange being aggressive in one post and defensive in another ... but ... looking at it from an LA / RBC point of view they have to take every reasonable care to prevent schools from doing something stupid and allowing access to unfiltered sites.

Most of us are in privileged positions where we can say *no* to teachers and management who demand unfiltered access, but a scary number of schools in the East Midlands region have site level filtering (everyone at the same level) and it is not adequately high enough.

Many of us have internal filtering of one fashion or another but for something like this then you almost *have* to cater for the lowest common denominator unless a school can show you otherwise.

Geoff · 07-01-2008, 03:46 PM

Quote:

I know it may seem strange being aggressive in one post and defensive in another ... but ... looking at it from an LA / RBC point of view they have to take every reasonable care to prevent schools from doing something stupid and allowing access to unfiltered sites.

Are you sure about that? I don't know about you but our LEA contract has a 'get of jail' clause that washes the LEA/RBC hands of any responsibility of what's accessed via the Internet connection they provide.

GrumbleDook · 07-01-2008, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff

Are you sure about that? I don't know about you but our LEA contract has a 'get of jail' clause that washes the LEA/RBC hands of any responsibility of what's accessed via the Internet connection they provide.

Not if they want to keep their Becta Accreditation ... it just doesn't wash anymore that sort of clause.

Govt guidelines (as in you agree to do as you are told and we will continue to fund you) say that e-safety is a big thing! An LA that does not follow this through will get grief. An RBC that passes the buck is on dodgy ground.

This is especially true of LAs that top slice a *large* amount of money to ensure that good levels of filtering are possible.

SimpleSi · 07-01-2008, 04:00 PM

This isn't a technical problem - its an admin issue.

You might need to escalate the issue through your headteacher but unless your SLA agreements says you have to take whatever the LEA give you then you should be able to get it sorted but it might take some time - get the organ grinders to talk to each other

I don't believe that "faking" what this place appears to be is a good idea - a bit like a gamekeeper doing a bit of poaching on someone elses patch

regards

Simon

sidewinder · 07-01-2008, 06:39 PM

Well my manager has requested it also and I will have a look tomorrow morning and see what they have said

Grumbledook I will PM you the name if it isnt resolved, if you want to go ahead with contacting them anyway

FN-GM · 07-01-2008, 07:23 PM

Websence works fine with it at my place.

crc-ict · 07-01-2008, 08:08 PM

Situation is the same on Websense with West Sussex Grid for Learning. Exactly the same - worked for about half an hour this morning, then blocked. Also, old forums worked fine.

You can indeed have unfiltered IPs, (well, 'Technician' filter which allows useful stuff but still keeps the more 'exotic' stuff at bay) which works fine if you only work in one school and have your own PC. I work in nine, and have to grab whatever computer I can!

richard.thomas · 07-01-2008, 09:34 PM

I started getting a funky "Bad gateway" error and got the Netsweeper page when I tried this morning, but I had been on the forums for quite abit before this kicked in. We don't have any special IP that's unfiltered or a way of bypassing the LEA filter as far as I'm aware

russdev · 07-01-2008, 09:57 PM

@Richard

Can you pm us your rbc that would be useful.

Russ

pete · 08-01-2008, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrumbleDook

Not if they want to keep their Becta Accreditation ... it just doesn't wash anymore that sort of clause.

Govt guidelines (as in you agree to do as you are told and we will continue to fund you) say that e-safety is a big thing! An LA that does not follow this through will get grief. An RBC that passes the buck is on dodgy ground.

This is especially true of LAs that top slice a *large* amount of money to ensure that good levels of filtering are possible.

Though if you decide to not use their filtering (for whatever reason) they will ask you to sign a (FUD encrusted) disclaimer absolving them of responsibility.

sidewinder · 08-01-2008, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crc-ict

Situation is the same on Websense with West Sussex Grid for Learning. Exactly the same - worked for about half an hour this morning, then blocked. Also, old forums worked fine.

Yeah that doesnt surprise me, West Sussex use LGFL/Atomwide as well don't they?

ittech · 08-01-2008, 10:20 AM

Surely you can request individual sites to be unblocked?

This is a basic function of any web filtering system!

localzuk · 08-01-2008, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ittech

Surely you can request individual sites to be unblocked?

This is a basic function of any web filtering system!

Those were my thoughts exactly. I'd be causing a storm if I couldn't. If you can get your head to write a letter that may help, else try the official complaints procedure for your RBC.

Geoff · 08-01-2008, 10:23 AM

Unfortunately some RBC/LEA filters are in the stone age (and if this thread doesn't serve as an example as why url filters sucks, I don't know what does).

ittech · 08-01-2008, 11:44 AM

Its pretty amazing that you cant do it, our school would grind to a halt if I couldn't unblock sites immediately.

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		EduGeek.net Forums > EduGeek Stuff > EduGeek.net Site Problems
[OPEN] Bug/Error: Forums now blocked by LEA

07-01-2008, 03:36 PM	#16
GrumbleDook Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Kettering, Northants Posts: 4,945 Thanks: 50 Thanked 190 Times in 99 Posts Blog Entries: 1 Rep Power: 49	I know it may seem strange being aggressive in one post and defensive in another ... but ... looking at it from an LA / RBC point of view they have to take every reasonable care to prevent schools from doing something stupid and allowing access to unfiltered sites. Most of us are in privileged positions where we can say no to teachers and management who demand unfiltered access, but a scary number of schools in the East Midlands region have site level filtering (everyone at the same level) and it is not adequately high enough. Many of us have internal filtering of one fashion or another but for something like this then you almost have to cater for the lowest common denominator unless a school can show you otherwise.

07-01-2008, 04:00 PM	#19
SimpleSi Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lancashire Posts: 1,361 Thanks: 53 Thanked 52 Times in 44 Posts Rep Power: 17	This isn't a technical problem - its an admin issue. You might need to escalate the issue through your headteacher but unless your SLA agreements says you have to take whatever the LEA give you then you should be able to get it sorted but it might take some time - get the organ grinders to talk to each other I don't believe that "faking" what this place appears to be is a good idea - a bit like a gamekeeper doing a bit of poaching on someone elses patch regards Simon

07-01-2008, 06:39 PM	#20
sidewinder Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Near Reading Posts: 1,121 Thanks: 13 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts Rep Power: 8	Well my manager has requested it also and I will have a look tomorrow morning and see what they have said Grumbledook I will PM you the name if it isnt resolved, if you want to go ahead with contacting them anyway

07-01-2008, 07:23 PM	#21
FN-GM Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Rochdale, Lancashire Posts: 4,807 Thanks: 156 Thanked 156 Times in 150 Posts Rep Power: 37	Websence works fine with it at my place.

07-01-2008, 08:08 PM	#22
crc-ict Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chichester, West Sussex Posts: 464 Thanks: 1 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts Rep Power: 8	Situation is the same on Websense with West Sussex Grid for Learning. Exactly the same - worked for about half an hour this morning, then blocked. Also, old forums worked fine. You can indeed have unfiltered IPs, (well, 'Technician' filter which allows useful stuff but still keeps the more 'exotic' stuff at bay) which works fine if you only work in one school and have your own PC. I work in nine, and have to grab whatever computer I can!

07-01-2008, 09:34 PM	#23
richard.thomas Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 493 Thanks: 4 Thanked 11 Times in 10 Posts Rep Power: 5	I started getting a funky "Bad gateway" error and got the Netsweeper page when I tried this morning, but I had been on the forums for quite abit before this kicked in. We don't have any special IP that's unfiltered or a way of bypassing the LEA filter as far as I'm aware

07-01-2008, 09:57 PM	#24
russdev Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 5,124 Thanks: 34 Thanked 76 Times in 52 Posts Blog Entries: 1 Rep Power: 30	@Richard Can you pm us your rbc that would be useful. Russ

08-01-2008, 10:20 AM	#27
ittech Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Reading, UK Posts: 591 Thanks: 27 Thanked 17 Times in 16 Posts Rep Power: 7	Surely you can request individual sites to be unblocked? This is a basic function of any web filtering system!

08-01-2008, 10:23 AM	#29
Geoff Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Fylde, Lancs, UK. Posts: 9,839 Thanks: 41 Thanked 217 Times in 198 Posts Blog Entries: 1 Rep Power: 64	Unfortunately some RBC/LEA filters are in the stone age (and if this thread doesn't serve as an example as why url filters sucks, I don't know what does).

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08-01-2008, 11:44 AM	#30
ittech Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Reading, UK Posts: 591 Thanks: 27 Thanked 17 Times in 16 Posts Rep Power: 7	Its pretty amazing that you cant do it, our school would grind to a halt if I couldn't unblock sites immediately.