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School District Increases Security After Students Find Ways Around Computer Firewalls

More schools are placing technology in students hands to help them succeed. The iPads and Chromebooks help prepare students for the work force, but also force them to confront the dangers of the internet is well.

Like most young people, Breshard Roberts and Vincson Haynes are always on their phones.

“I have an iPhone and I have a game phone,” said Roberts. “A game phone is a regular phone but just with games on it.”

The students have one phone for social media, a second phone for games and a Chromebook for academics assignments.

Technology has found its way in virtually all classrooms in North Texas. It helps teachers speak the language of the students, change and adjust lesson plans without needing new books, and marrying things like math with video games improving skills.

Just like hackers find new ways to steal our credit card numbers, students have found new ways to get around firewalls in place to keep school issued computers only running school approved content.

“They can find a way to get around stuff,” said Haynes, of some other students on campus.

Mesquite ISD is on top it, programming their firewalls to not only keep some content out but alert webmasters anytime someone even tries to go around the filters put in place.

“It alerts them if a student tries to go around the firewall, or anyone goes around the firewall, if they want to use our network they have to go through our filters,” said Cara Jackson, Mesquite ISD.

Parents like Vickie Haynes said it’s comforting that the school has an extra set of eyes on her son’s activities.

“There’s no telling what’s on the internet, so I even try to, I’ll ask him what are you doing? What are you on?” said Vickie Haynes.

Districts across North Texas tell us many of their firewalls offer similar protection but encourage parents to get involved, and ask questions about what the district allows in, to help you better police what your kids are accessing on these devices they’re so addicted to.

What you let your child do or not do are very personal choices. Just know there are ways around some of the district firewalls and the kids are finding them.

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