What schools can do about internet porn
Preventing children from becoming roadkill on the information superhighway
From Kentucky Citizen Digest, July, 1997

More and more schools are making use of computer technology to enhance instruction and research. One tool many schools are now using is the Internet. The Internet has become a valuable asset, particularly for research purposes, but there are also drawbacks that should give local schools and districts pause for thought.

Anyone who has used the Internet knows the ease with which obscene and objectionable material may be accessed. Because of this problem, schools should think about taking special measures to prevent children from accessing this material, some of which is not only obscene, but violent.

Response of state education officials

Unfortunately, state school officials are muddling this issue by giving local schools and districts misleading advice.

Accessing the section of the Kentucky Department of Education's (KDE) web site having to do with education technology (http://www.kde.state.ky.us/new/aup.html), does furnish a number of sound recommendations. These include the use of a parent permission form and a recommendation that students not give out personal information over the Internet.

However, some of KDE's recommendations seem more concerned with protecting schools than with protecting children. In fact, KDE seems to be actively discouraging measures beyond the minimal restrictions discussed on their web site--restrictions which, by themselves, will do very little to prevent students from accessing objectionable material.

In at least one part of the state, educators are being told that filter programs, which prevent access to most objectionable web sites, are inadvisable. Why? Here are a few of KDE's arguments, and why they are wrong:

KDE Myth #1:  Taking more active measures to discourage Internet porn access by students’ makes the school more liable for the students actions by placing more responsibility on the school in relation to the student.

Truth:  Since when does protecting the school take precedence over protecting students? School officials are supposed to take responsibility for students, since students are under their supervision. Besides, school districts already have insurance policies to protect them when it comes to legal liability. Students, on the other hand, do not have insurance policies against the psychological consequences of being exposed to obscene material and have to rely on the good judgement of those whose care for them.

KDE Myth #2:  Filtering programs that block out objectionable material are too expensive.

Truth:  Most Internet providers provide filtering systems free of charge. In addition, other programs, such as Cyber Patrol, cost $34.95 or less per computer.

KDE Myth #3:  Filtering programs are not very effective.

Truth:  The fact is that such programs filter out the vast majority of objectionable sites. They also provide updates for a minimal cost to filter out new sites that appear on the web from time to time. If nothing short of 100 percent effectiveness is acceptable, then schools themselves would have to close down, since schools are far from 100 percent effective in adequately educating every child.

There are other misconceptions about the availability and accessibility of Internet porn, such as: “Sites with objectionable material are hard to find.” Or “A student would have to be looking for it to find it.” However, such sites can be found quite easily, sometimes by doing searches on completely unrelated topics.

KDE has even indicated to school districts that although their own Internet provider has turned off a number of hard-core sites, they can't do more because taking further action would constitute censorship! This may be persuasive to some, but it is hardly a compelling argument. It is not censorship, for example, to refuse to stock a school library with pornographic magazines. There is no requirement in the First Amendment that schools must provide students with objectionable material.
 

Key Family Foundation Contacts: Kent Ostrander, Executive Director Martin Cothran, Senior Associate Policy Analyst