Unrestricted Internet Access

[e-class]

Do any of you allow unrestricted Internet access for teachers?

 

Currently we filter teachers' access but have been asked to provide unrestricted access as they are getting too many blocked sites which they say is affecting their teaching.

 

At the moment it's just an ask and needs to go through the request process and SLT etc before it's done but we'll get asked for our opinion.

 

It would be handy to quote what other schools do.

So, would be grateful if there are schools that do this (and don't).

 

It's a Primary school but might get requested by secondary if they get wind of it.

 

Thanks

[elsiegee40]

Short answer is no and if your DCPO doesn't know why then they need retraining.

 

Your teachers are working in an environment where Safeguarding is paramount. Without filtering and monitoring how does your school ensure it is meeting the Safeguarding legal requirements?

 

Your DCPO, SLT, Governors and Headteacher need training, to read the latest version of Keeping Children Safe in Education from the DfE and to read the really helpful analysis of its online safety implications analysed by Kent County Council's @esafety_officer - see this: Online Safety within ‘Keeping children safe in education’ 2016 | EduGeek.net

Edited June 18, 2016 by elsiegee40

[e-class]

Thanks

 

I'm pretty sure they understand that - Ofsted has recently been round and grilled us a lot on it.

 

The request is coming from only a small number and I think it's a case of them seeing what the response is.

 

Their take is that it's only for teachers and will be rigourously protected ... hmmmm!

 

I spoke to a teacher recently at secondary and they have filtered access BUT he mentioned they have another icon that allows unfiltered access.

 

Everything will still be logged etc so we and teachers will know if we get dodgy sites appearing.

 

Thanks for the post, keep your opinions coming.

[e-class]

Sorry just re-read my original post.

Unfiltered access would only be for teachers (or a small subset of teachers who definitely needed it) and not all the school.

Apologies if that wasn't clear from the original post.

[ellsandell]

I would say no. What filtering software do you use? What sites are they experiencing being blocked?

 

Make it clear that if any sites are blocked, give you the URLs to assess and unblock.

 

So long as they are actually planning their lessons it shouldn't be too much trouble to make sure beforehand that they can access the site.

[elsiegee40]

Unfiltered access is a Safeguarding risk - even it's just for a small group of teachers.

[BKGarry]

Even unfiltered is filtered here. There are 3 levels of filtering.

Student (both through web filter system and impero)

Staff - allows uncategorised but still restricted

Allow all - which still has some categories blocked at LA level and that has 5 people in it. Myself, two technicians, the head and the heads PA all of which are never going to have their access open on a projector in a teaching area that can be a risk to students.

 

We have recently put on strict restrictions for YouTube unless you are logged into GAFE as staff. I would never risk it for general staff especially when people have said they have been searching for playful kittens and playful bunnies which we all know could show suspect images.

[rob_coles]

Wouldn't dream of it personally. We have fairly relaxed filtering in place but completely unfiltered no chance. Can you imagine the first time they project something inappropriate.

[call911]

Here in the US, CIPA requires filtered Internet for everyone. It doesn't say how filtered, but needs to be filtered. And our eRate requires CIPA compliance, so if we opened it unfiltered for teachers, we could risk losing federal funding. Big no no.

 

Also, all it takes is one teacher to click the wrong link, and the projector screen in front of the little kids will be filled with inappropriate popups and images.....

 

There's is no good reason to have unfiltered internet in a school.

[AlanD]

I see no reason for teacher filtering to be much different - or any different - from student filtering.

For one thing, it causes real confusion if a teacher is able to get to a web page only for them to discover later in class the site is blocked for students.

What I might be persuaded to do - is to impose a WARN/CONFIRM screen - possibly one which requires them to type in a password to proceed. Our Websense filter allows us to do this - but I don't think I have ever used it.

And certainly "NO FILTER" might allow access to compromised websites.

I have had teachers complain to me that they can't download this or that because the content or site has been classified as compromised or known to contain malware. I've even known school websites to contain malware and been - wisely - blocked by filters. They seemed rather surprised when I would not create an exception rule(!) - and even had an argument with one teacher because - while the download clearly contained malware (well documented malware when you googled it) the teacher seemed to think it would be must be OK because the web site had a respectable name! No; the more I think about it - apply the same filtering - and possibly add exceptions with WARN/CONFIRM before continuing to odd exception groups.

[Meldrew]

A while back, I had an email from an MFL teacher along the lines of 'we urgently need access to daily motion. our teaching is suffering as a result of not having access to this site'. I don't know if anyone else has come across this site, but I hadn't, so googled something like 'daily motion schools' (to see if schools allow access generally). The first result was a pornographic video hosted by daily motion. If I'd have allowed the site, the teacher may well have ended up losing their career if they'd accidentally showed an incorrect video to a class of students. Teachers sometimes need protecting from themselves.

 

Needless to say I emailed back to say I wouldn't be allowing the site and my reasons for doing so and inviting them to speak to the principal if they disagree about my reasoning. I heard nothing more.

 

Meldrew.

[rdk]

Teachers sometimes need protecting from themselves.

 

Somewhat patronising. And we wonder why there's a recruitment crisis in education.

[Meldrew]

Somewhat patronising. And we wonder why there's a recruitment crisis in education.

 

Wasn't meant to be patronising, just pointing out that teachers often just see the end goal and not what the implications are. I consider part of my role to ensure those implications are pointed out. I'm sure if I didn't, the teacher's union would be very quick to suggest that the teacher wasn't being protected from the risk.

[Edu-IT]

What happens when a user leaves themselves logged in while they nip away, as they do? There's too much opportunity to end up in hot water over this.

[hardtailstar]

Filtered with us and any sites blocked have to be vetted by IT whether by myself or the Network Manager.

 

If its something that needs more questioning we go further up the chain.

[Oaktech]

Nobody has unfiltered access here...

 

Some people (myself and the office staff) are more lightly filtered than anyone else, because I need access to download exe files, and the office needs to access social media but aside from that there is very little difference between student and staff filtering, in fact the RDP server which is only available for staff has student filtering applied to it.

 

We apply specific individual URL exceptions for staff because Lightspeed makes it very easy to do that, but most of them come from poorly thought out resources needing access to commonly used sites which are considered to be 'adult' by the filter - Imgur, weebly and tumblr are the normal ones.

 

I would say that the broad answer is NO. The less broad answer is Why? and the solution is 'give me a list of URLs you need and I'll make those and nothing else available to you'.

[Davit2005]

Definately no.

 

A teacher has only goto type something wrong into a search engine and we all see staff letting students use their staff account.

 

Ask what is not working and fix that.

[Lonix]

Thanks

I'm pretty sure they understand that - Ofsted has recently been round and grilled us a lot on it.

The request is coming from only a small number and I think it's a case of them seeing what the response is.

Their take is that it's only for teachers and will be rigourously protected ... hmmmm!

I spoke to a teacher recently at secondary and they have filtered access BUT he mentioned they have another icon that allows unfiltered access.

Everything will still be logged etc so we and teachers will know if we get dodgy sites appearing.

Thanks for the post, keep your opinions coming.

 

I wouldn't do it, we have filtering in place. No where near the same level of Students but there is still the typical filtering you would expect at any School/Business. @elsiegee40 has hit the nail on the head.

 

You will always get grumbles, that's life and apart of any filtering system. If you allow it all - you can potentially opening a can of worms for your self.

 

First thing I would do is respond with my "E-Safety hat" and obviously if they wish to raise it further discuss it with my Line Manager. I can guess what he would say to that but if the teacher still wanted to push it we are talking Head Teacher/SLT and Governors.

 

I can imagine what the Governors will say "Why do they need it".

 

If websites are being blocked I could potentially relax the categories being blocked. Are we talking about uncategorised or a group like Sports being blocked. Just always remember that there is a reason why it's in place. What if a member of staff types in something by mistake or some how gets malware infections etc. An honest www. can quickly turn in to a bad website that instead of saying BLOCKED will show everything on their projector.