In order to be admitted into Southfield High, a student has to agree to certain terms and conditions for using the school computers. However, the rules for computer use are some of the most unvalued rules.
The approximately 1,600 students either haven’t read the Southfield Public Schools’ Code of Conduct for technology use, or they have chosen to ignore it, as shown by the disturbing condition of our computers.
As a result of student misuse of school computers, the district recently blocked student access to certain websites. The action was unfortunately necessary.
The sad reality is that many students have downloaded music on school computers, which is not only illegal, but clogs the server with needless files. We are at school. Frivolous downloading of music and other files should be done at home, and then only on a legal basis.
People download lots of useless and amoral documents that interfere with schoolwork. We are using the downloaded messengers to chat, to play on Black Planet (which is now blocked), and to surf the web when we need to be doing assignments instead. We tend to check our e-mails a lot as well. We can e-mail our “boos” when we get home and instead focus on our education. After all, that’s why we come to school.
Though we constantly complain that the computers are too slow, we don’t stop our harmful downloading. There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that the computers will get slower with more downloads.
Continuing to do the prohibited downloading will make the computers slower than they already are. As a result, we will not have the limited freedom we do have with the computers now. When the computer privileges are revoked because of misuse, don’t complain.
One more point: As students, we should not be eating or drinking around computers. Doing so is not only disgusting because it’s anyone’s guess as to what filth is on the computer, it’s also dangerous. If someone accidentally spills liquid on the computer, it can not only cause damage to the computer, but can electrocute the user. It’s time to respect the computers and confine those orange Cheetos fingers and sticky pop to the cafeteria.