When I was in middle school, I remember sitting in the computer lab playing Fireboy and Watergirl on CoolMathGames when I wasn’t supposed to. I would quickly switch the tab back to Typing.com whenever my teacher walked by and giggled when she didn’t notice.

How did we go from sneaking Flash games in our free time to not being able to access Crash Course on YouTube? When did the firewall on school computers become so strict?

We are all familiar with the dreaded blue and white screen that mocks you with the words, “This page is blocked by your administrator.”

I see that page more often than I should.

When I’m trying to watch PGTV ⸺ Blocked.
When I’m trying to read an article for English ⸺ Blocked.
When I’m trying to watch the video that’s required to graduate ⸺ Blocked.

The Firewall doesn’t even efficiently block Flash games because students have a dedicated talent for finding unblocked sites. It does, however, block YouTube, a website many students use for lessons and reviews.

Blocking YouTube prevents students from watching educational material. Some students rely on channels like Crash Course and Amoeba Sisters to get good grades. However, students are limited to watching these channels at home. Even during ClaimTime, a study hall period, they cannot use YouTube as a study resource.

The firewall is not only annoying for students but teachers as well. Several times, teachers have posted YouTube videos or articles to Google Classroom, not understanding that we can’t access them. This has messed up lesson plans since teachers don’t realize sites are blocked until it’s time for class.

Some teachers have avoided the problem altogether by saying, “Figure it out yourself” or “Use your phone,” despite the fact that we are not supposed to have our phones. That exact scenario led to a student knocking on the journalism room asking if he could use one of our Macs to watch a youtube video for a class. We let him, but no student should have to go to that extent to finish an assignment. Admins need to either allow YouTube and subsequent sites or tell teachers not to make blocked content required. I understand why YouTube is blocked, but It’s become more of an obstacle for learning than a problem-solver. Students are going to find a way to goof off whether sites are blocked or not.