BY MIRIAM SMITH
The Cincinnati Enquirer
DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP -- Kings Local Schools administrators don't want students to receive unauthorized sex education from the Internet.
The district is exploring "filtering" software to block out inappropriate Web sites, such as pornography.
School Board President Janet Noble raised the issue at Tuesday's board meeting. District officials are to report to board members in September about filtering options.
Mrs. Noble said Wednesday she believes parents may be questioning what restraints the district has on Internet usage.
"We're trying to consider all the angles. Our students are our primary concern."
An eighth-grade student allegedly sent death threats from Kings High School to the White House last year via an e-mail message through a pre-selected, authorized site. In that case, filtering wouldn't have made a difference, officials said.
Last spring, the district launched a pilot program giving high school students unlimited Internet access for broader searches and no problems were reported. Before that, students were only allowed to visit pre-selected sites. That made researching capabilities too limited, said Dick Bell, assistant superintendent.
All students, K-12, have Internet access in a "very controlled" setting, he said.
The district's computers are operating on a fiber-optic network, which allows students to scan the Internet for research with teachers' approval, Mr. Bell said.
No filtering software is 100 percent foolproof, and it may create a false sense of security, he said.
"Because of the way the system is designed, it may be possible for something to slip through the cracks," Mr. Bell said.
Many districts face the same dilemma as they hook up to the Internet, said Steve Borich, media technology consultant for the Warren County Educational Service Center.
Many get access through the "A-site," a state computer network, which does offer filtering programs. Kings is not relying on that site for its Internet service, Mr. Borich said.
Little Miami Local School Superintendent Michael Virelli said his district is participating in the state's computer network with the filtering system in place.
"All kids have limited access to the Internet," Mr. Virelli said. "At all times, we have on site a classroom teacher or technology coordinator and - or a library aide."
