Nearly every high schooler in the country has become familiar with the iconic phrase “Big Brother is watching you.” Now, the scenario this expression represents is coming closer to fruition at Millard South with the implementation of new student monitoring software that can show teachers what students are viewing on their laptops.
After testing the application Securely in the past weeks, it is expected that the software will be fully utilized in the 24-25 school year. The implementation of Securely has been seen by many as the beginning of an Orwellian future in which every aspect of the student experience is monitored by the school. While the software will ultimately help keep students on task and prevent academic dishonesty, these concerns are rooted in questions about the effects it will have on other aspects of technology at school. Discussions about privacy concerns and laptop quality have emerged as the program’s trial has rolled out in various classrooms.
School provided laptops have had a history of immensely slow operation and hour-long updates. An application as intense as Securely could, ultimately, have the unintended effect of adding to the issues surrounding lagging and unpleasant laptop usage.
Along with this, students who aim to avoid these issues by bringing their own devices will likely no longer have such an opportunity. Up until this point, there was little opposition to students bringing their own devices because they could still connect to the Wi-Fi network which enacts the Content Keeper and blocks restricted websites. Already, teachers have shared that admin will actively be discouraging bringing personal devices to ensure the software can be utilized across the board. The gradual prohibition of personal devices could lead to increased issues for students who have not been actively using their school issued laptop.
For most students, the main concern with Securely is the perceived invasion of privacy into their online activities. This is a nuanced matter in the fact that the school has every right to see what students are accessing on their school laptops, yet it also is understandable that students are worried about the live monitoring and reports of activity.
Many students keep open numerous tabs at a time, so websites that have been accessed outside of class time will still show up for teachers to view. For many students, school laptops are their only device outside of their phone, and personal tabs which previously only would have been accessed by admin in the case of a search will now be seen by any teacher using Securely.
My concern is that the software will create resentment among students: feelings that their privacy is being invaded could lead to bitterness towards the academic environment and decreased productivity. Even focused students might feel irritated about the perceived lack of freedom.
Still, it must be noted that prying into students’ personal endeavors is not the goal of the application. The software is there to keep students on task and alert teachers of any safety issues or academic misconduct. Securely will offer admin a way to keep students safe online, yet, student concerns are justifiable as well.
Only time will tell how the software will be utilized within the walls of Millard South. It is my hope that if the admin decides to take on Securely, a sense of compromise and understanding will be built between the students and teachers. An application of this nature can only be used to its fullest extent if a level of trust exists in the building, and hopefully, that will grow as the student monitoring system rolls out over the next year.
