Malicious Websites

[Anti]

> Internet is *NOT* a priviledge in this day and age.

 

Before two years ago, half our classrooms had one pentium II PC each; the other half of the classrooms had nothing. We had no internet access at all, no network and no computer suite. Yet our results back then (and long before) rated well against the best state schools in Britain at GSCE and AS level. Except for ICT, the curriculum does not require computers or internet. So in that respect, I believe is a priviledge.

 

> ... especially when the rest of the country has access.

 

Maybe you're not aware, but there are some students studying in developing countries, sitting IGSCEs in a second or third language, who are achieving better results than a lot of British children, and they don't even have electricity or proper textbooks. Then you've got the private boarding school chappies who are each given their own laptop and 24 hour wireless internet/network access. Whoever said there was a level playing field?

 

> ...making the innocent resent the school - i sure as hell would if you punished me "for nothing".

 

Hopefully they would correctly resent the person who attacked the school/teacher/pupil on the internet. When I was at school myself and someone set fire to a book in our library, we were all banned from it at lunch and breaks for the rest of the year. We blamed the pupil, not the school. Eventually one of his friends got fed up of standing around in the rain and shopped him. That was the most serious example, but there were lots of 'bannings' at my school, whereby many suffered due to the irresponsible actions of one or two - the school was never resented, only the guilty pupils.

 

> I'm quite sure theres course work which requires use of the internet.

 

Would the ban really include teachers needing their class to use the computers for class work? I think a common sense approach may be required!

 

> punishing the whole school for one childs wrong doing is extremely childish

 

Personal insults are immature too.

 

> what sort of example are you setting to the kids?

> Do wrong and we'll punish you, do right and we'll punish you anyway

 

There are several useful messages:

 

- this behaviour is serious and has consequences.

- internet attacks against schoool, staff and pupils will not be ignored.

- we'll use all methods at our disposal to find the culprit.

- keeping silent to protect your guilty friends is wrong.

- libel is against the law.

- if you have a problem use the proper channels rather than the internet.

 

As opposed to doing nothing, which sends out the messages:

 

- do what you want because we can't/won't do anything about it.

- you won't get into trouble for cyber bullying or personal attacks.

- you are anonymous because hosts don't give your info without a warrant.

- it is ok to ignore your victim's feelings and make them feel powerless.

 

You say it is wrong to punish everyone else, rather than just the criminal, but welcome to the real world; the cost of theft and fraud is passed on to the honest consumers. We all suffer higher prices and tighter regulation due to a minority of dishonest people.

 

Anyway, I wouldn't expect a time-limited ban to necessarily solve the problem, because it might not oust the culprit, but I think 'some response' sends out a better message to pupils than 'no response'. I don't think it would against the law or violate Human Rights (and is not childish! So there!).

 

However, GrumbleDook's advice is the best so far. If there are other avenues to explore, a ban would not be the first thing I'd do.

[Guest Guest]

Oh dear

[acrobson]

lol Oh dear

[Anti]

Have I done something wrong? oh dear.

[GrumbleDook]

I think it was more in response to the fact that your response is very idealistic.

 

I agree with the sentiment of it, but in most schools in England the idea of bulk punishments is seriously frown upon. A good proportion of students are taught to think independantly, but the down side is that they will argue their case if they are treated unfairly, and bulk punishments for things they have not done is an area that they will fight their corner on.

 

I am not saying that I always agree with this view point, but in the same way that prohibition in the States has since been regarded as a bad idea the same with restrictions of computer / internet use.

 

If people are seriously looking for resources to help families approach the internet safely and sensibly then I would recommend some of the materials from ChildNet.

[Anti]

Well, whatever. Generally I think America and Britain have become too namby-pamby, which is why the number of children out of control are increasing. There is no respect or courtesy anymore, which is why they think it is ok to publish awful things about each other online in the first place.

 

This problem is only going to get worse, and it is usually too difficult to get webhosts to remove material. If there is no other recourse, such as bannings and taking a hard-line with investigating incidents, then cyber-bullying and teacher-bashing is just going to spiral out of control as more and more children realise that schools are powerless to do anything about it.