Censorship and Education

I found this article on Bud's page (linked from another blog I'm sure) about censorship in cyberspace. I think many of us believe that the internet is one of the last true ways to have your voice heard, truly, but now I'm not so sure. Scary.

Anyways, it reminds of me of my own struggle in the classroom (though on a much lower level). I've created a blog for my Theory of Knowledge course that has really taken off and provided a way for kids in different classrooms to continue critical conversations. I even have classrooms in Philly, New Jersey, Colorado, and even Israel potentially interested in joining the conversation about Knowledge, justification, and truth, all in a variety of contexts that the students are creating. It's been empowering for me and (seemingly) the kids.

One problem...

My district will NOT unblock Blogger.com so that I can access it from school. We, of course are the only district in my area that has made this decision. They've looked at the blog, are impressed by what is going on, and of course are supportive of what I'm doing, but not that supportive. I come to find out that a teacher's failure to monitor a blog on Blogger years ago has led to the district policy. Of course, the appeasement statement is that this is just "for now" but nothing seems to change. My students and I are paying for the mistakes of one person that screwed up and the parents that made it a big deal.

Why is it that, as teachers, we are asked to do the incredible, the sometimes impossible but are often not given the tools we need. Of course, this isn't always true. I happen to work in an incredible building that supports me in a way that I could never imagine before I began working there. But at the district level, I see a difference. I see fear and bureaucracy. I've been given completely unhelpful and unrealistic suggestions as to how to approach my class goals without Blogger. Surprisingly, the suggestions have more to do with $$$ than it does with what is best for the class and students.

Now, I know that this is nothing new. This isn't an issue that is revolutionary nor will it be solved anytime soon. Yet, I can be idealistic. I'll just believe that what is best for kids will prevail. I may have to wait awhile but I believe that at some point, it will just click and make sense to those above me. It'll happen... probably around the same time Standardized Tests take a backseat to teaching the whole child.

Where do we go from here?