The Creekside District currently has a legally compliant filtering system in place which operates on the "block-first-and-open-later-is-safer" premise.  Teachers who want to have one or more sites unblocked must first make their requests in writing. Then a district (regional) committee meets to decide whether or not the site(s) will be unblocked.  Recently a group of music teachers asked that iTunes be unblocked to use the site for downloading music for their music theory and music technology courses.

The filtering software does not allow for internal site blocking, meaning it's all or nothing for the iTunes site.  The teachers wrote an excellent rationale and made direct connections to the district curriculum.  What responses might the district committee could give for this request?  NOTE:  iTunes requires software be downloaded to make the site useable.

Group Participants:

Questions To Answer

1. What is one way to address the problem posed in the scenario, and what are the next steps?

 Loading the iTunes software only on the music classroom computer(s) is one solution, but it woulld be difficult to monitor whether others download the software on their own. What is the real concern here, that students would download and listen to "objectionable lyrics" on iTune songs? When? Under what circumstances are they going to be listening without a teacher being aware of it (Obvious signs - headphones hooked up to a computer, or the speakers blasting out rap music?). It's really a tempest in a tea-pot, and the iTunes site should be taken off blocked status. (John K)

2. What leadership skills are most necessary to tackle these problems?

3. How do you provide equitable experiences for students across all buildings?