By Shannon Donahue
Staff Writer

Facebook. Just one word, but the whole world to some people.

This growingly popular database attracts millions of users today, from a range of different backgrounds.

Most readers don’t need to be told what Facebook is, however, because almost everyone knows what this famous website is.

Although Facebook can be reached from all over the world, it is not available in our schools.

One big question that is circulating around is, “Why is Facebook blocked?”

“Facebook is social media,” explains Stephanie Gosselin, WA’s Instructional Technology Specialist, “…and at this time, we are not using Facebook as an academic resource.”

Because no academic benefits come from this site, and it is known as a social network, Facebook has been blocked.

“If we can justify the academic use of a website, we can request that it be unblocked,” said Gosselin.

This, however, could be a lengthy process, due to the fact that it is a decision across the District, and if the high school faculty members discuss the decision, so must the elementary school staff.

This blocking, however, is justified in the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).

Elaine Pietras dug up this school policy and explained its contents. The most applicable restriction to this certain topic falls as the number one bullet under “Personal Safety.”

“Users of the District’s Computing Environment (Students and teachers)…shall not post personal contact information concerning themselves and other people which includes the person’s last name, address, telephone…”

Facebook is an online “yearbook”, and does in fact include the above information. Because of this, the district is justified in blocking the website.

The school staff members aren’t being unfair either, according to Gosselin, “We all play by the same rules.” If students can’t view a website, neither can the teachers.

With each computer around the school blocking sights such as Facebook, it is virtually impossible to access the sight. Or so the Technical Staff thought.

One technical glitch enables one classroom, filled with computers, access to Facebook.
Gosselin explained this “miracle”, stating that some students had even found a way around the Websense block.

Gosselin chose not to comment on how the block was avoided.

Gosselin confirmed that WA is currently not using Facebook as an academic resource. As for the future however, Gosselin explained that the chance of this happening is a “maybe.”

Some students question about the popular website, Twitter. This one community site is not blocked in our school. Although it is still used widely throughout WA, both by students and teachers, the district did not find a reason to block it from our use.

Gosselin explained this decision, stating that we were “ahead of the curve.” For example, in grades three through five, each class has a “Tweet of the day.” One lucky student is chosen to post a message, of 160 letters or less, explaining what they are doing in school.

Parents are able to keep track of what their child is being taught.

Although the blocking of favorite websites annoys some, other schools are much stricter.

Both Gosselin and Pietras attended a workshop at Nashoba Technical High School and described it as being under technical lockdown.

With its ever-growing community, Facebook will be attracting millions a day. The possibility is there too, that instead of emailing, the many upcoming generations will resort to Facebook as a means of communication.

As for now, however, the students of WA will have to live with the fact that Facebook will be blocked for at least the next year or so.